Colourblind
by DutchLady
Summary: John Smith does something that the Doctor did as well, but was afraid to act on: fall in love with Martha Jones. With feelings out in the open, they face the challenges of the universe. Rating T. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything. The BBC does.

**Summary**: John Smith does something that the Doctor did as well, but was afraid to act on: fall in love with Martha Jones. When feelings are out in the open, the Doctor and Martha face the challenges that surround their lives: the Master, Daleks and Rose.

**Author's notes**: This picks up during Human Nature/ Family of Blood. It will take you into an AU version of the series finale of series 3 and that will lead in an AU of series 4, where Donna will join the Doctor and Martha. And I will kill someone in the series 4 finale. Yes, Rose will return, but there won't be a happy reunion. I won't be quoting whole episodes. Only small quotes; or scenes I liked. Making a transcript for entire episodes when you're only adding a person, is in my personal opinion to easy, please use a bit of creativity. Stuff will be skipped. As fans, you can fill in the blanks. In those blanks the same things happen as it does in the original episode. BTW: I loathe it, so Voyage of the Damned will be skipped entirely; only a paragraph of explanation. Oh and Steven Moffats Library story will be skipped completely, I couldn't add a thing to that story. I will reference it. This story is complete, so I'll able to upload it in parts over the next few weeks. Okay, gotten that out of the way. May I suggest that you hold onto your hats, because here we go:

Prologue:

The Eighth Doctor was in excruciating pain. Mentally and physically. There was a hole in his mind. In that hole the other Time Lords used to be. But they were gone and that was his fault. His finger had been on the button and it was his finger that had pressed that button. The guilt was unbearable. A whole race of people was gone, but he did take pleasure from the fact that their enemy had gone down with them. Lady President Romana, the Council and the Doctor had made sure of that. Romana had explained to him, why of all people, he was chosen to end the war. He didn't understand it, the genius that he was. He wasn't able to get his head around it. Maybe one day he could have peace about what he had done, but it would probably never happen.

He dragged himself up, holding on to the console for support. The console room was a mess. Support beams had snapped, there was dust everywhere, electrical wires were sparking wildly. He could hear the Tardis in his mind. She tried to comfort him, tried to take his pain away, but he could feel her pain. His Tardis was badly damaged, possibly beyond repair.

Clutching the console, he closed his eyes, trying to take in the damage that had been done to this body. His left shoulder was dislocated, his right arm was broken and he was pretty sure his right ankle was broken as well. His head hurt like hell, so he reached up and touched his forehead. When he looked at his fingers, blood was on them. His fingers were tingling, so were his toes. The regenerative process was beginning.

His knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor. His world was becoming darker, which was strange. Just prier regeneration his vision should become clearer, almost too bright. Maybe this really was the end, maybe he could join the others in death. Deep down he welcomed it, he didn't want to be alone. His vision blurred and he was on the verge of losing consciousness.

But then an angel appeared. A dark skinned angel. She held his hand and started to speak to him. She even sounded like an angel.

"Hold on, Doctor. I'm here"

_TBC_

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OK, that was just the prologue. Sorry for the shortness. The chapters will be longer. Please read and review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Colourblind**

Martha moved the tray with a pot of tea, a cup, today's newspaper and some bread onto one hand and opened the door to John Smith's room. She was getting quite good at it, serving a man. She hadn't expected to ever serve a man, but here she was doing it. She didn't like it, but she understood why she had to do this. She had to keep the Doctor save. Fortunately, only sixteen days left and the Doctor would be back and she would leave this place and never come back. She hated it here. Nobody seemed to think she mattered, mainly because she was a woman and the colour of her skin didn't help either.

The only one who did seem to notice was her 'employer' John Smith, history teacher at the Farringham School for Boys. He was aware of her black skin, but it somehow didn't matter to him. Maybe it was because it didn't matter to the Doctor and something of him still lingered inside John Smith.

Martha entered the room and placed the tray on the table. It was covered with papers and books. John Smith wasn't a tidy man, and cleaning up after him took some doing. But then again, the Doctor wasn't exactly tidy. They were so the same and yet so different.

Martha moved towards the curtains to open them, but stopped when a moan came from behind her. John Smith was still asleep and was moaning softly. His head was moving to and fro on the pillow. To an outsider it would seem he was having a nightmare. Martha knew better. He was dreaming about his real life; his life as the Doctor.

***

_The blonde girl was in his dreams; but only at the beginning. She had disappeared suddenly and a very different girl had taken her place. Not a girl, but a grown woman. A very beautiful grown woman. And she was always there, holding his hand, smiling at him. _

_He still remembered the feel of her lips on his when he had kissed her at a hospital. He wanted to stay in that position for a long time._

_She pointed to a creature and said its name. He was so proud. When she had collapsed, he had caught her. And had almost felt guilty that he could finally touch her again. _

_Some kind of fog surrounded him when he was descending down layer after layer of objects suspended in mid-air, just to get to her._

_She followed him into the sewers, no questions asked. When faced with another creature he couldn't identify, she questioned it. He was again so proud of her bravery, he wanted to hug her and hold her and never let go again._

_When he could hug her after what seemed to him a life time, he wanted to stay wrapped in her arms forever._

_Then there was something with the sun, and all of sudden he was begging her. For what; he couldn't make out._

_The touch of her skin was always warm. It warned his bruised soul; just holding her hand. But he wanted so much more._

_*** _

John Smith woke with a start and looked into the concerned eyes of Martha Jones.

"Are you alright, sir?"

"Yes, Martha. I'm alright. Just a dream."

Martha didn't need to know he always dreamed of her. Dreams where he was a man called the Doctor, Saviour of the Universe and where she was his faithful Companion. But they were just dreams. Martha Jones was his maid, nothing more.

"I have your breakfast ready, sir."

"Oh yes, thank you Martha. Hand me my robe."

Martha moved across the room and handed him his robe that hung over a nearby chair. Still seated on his bed, with the sheets across his lap, John Smith accepted the robe. Martha turned away and walked back to the table and started to pour him a cup of tea. Quickly, John Smith put the robe on and gingerly stood up.

Every morning, when he'd dreamed about Martha, he woke up in a state of arousal. His body reacted to her in a way his mind could not. It was forbidden. Not by law, but by the public and by the school. He couldn't even contemplate to begin a relationship with her. She was his servant, and she was black. The colour of her skin didn't matter to him, he still found her very beautiful. But a teacher of this school in a relationship with a black servant girl was unthinkable and the consequences if anyone would find out could be huge. And he didn't want to do that to her.

His arousal subsided and he walked towards the table. He picked up the newspaper and read the first headlines; nothing important.

"Thank you, Martha. That will be all. Come back later and you can clean all this up. And then clean up this table. It's a right mess."

Martha nodded and added a quiet: "Yes, sir." And left the room.

John Smith released the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Every time Martha left the room he was in, he remembered how to breathe. If only she knew how he felt.

_TBC_

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Next chapter comes wednesday. Promise :-)

Read and review please


	3. Chapter 3

Martha left the room and leaned against the door. For a while she had doubted if she really saw it. If it was really true. But this morning she had seen it clearly. He woke up almost every morning aroused. Martha knew he dreamed about the Doctor and all the adventures he had as the Doctor. So he must be dreaming about Rose; his life was dominated by her. So many times she wished that the Doctor would see her and not remember Rose. But it was something she just had to learn to live with.

She had only known the Doctor for a few hours when she had realised that she had fallen head over heals in love with him. And sometimes she would fantasize about what would happen if he was in love with her as well. But that was very unlikely. His love for Rose was to strong and she would always be second best. The best thing she could do to try and forget it.

But sometimes that was very difficult. She had noticed that John Smith would sometimes look at her in a certain way. As if he really saw her. She had noticed the first time when she had caught him looking at her in the reflection of a mirror. She had looked at him directly, daring him to say something, anything. But he had stammered something and had left to teach a class.

*****

The next time Martha saw John Smith, she was on the way back from her daily trip to the Tardis. She knew the Tardis was 'asleep' for lack of a better word, but being inside calmed her a bit. It made her feel herself again and it reminded her of the fact that this wouldn't last and soon the Tardis control room would be flooded with light again, ready to take her passengers to distant and amazing worlds. John Smith was walking towards her, deep in thought.

"Hello sir."

"Oh hello, Martha, didn't see you there."

"I noticed. You seemed a million miles away."

"Yes, quite."

Martha decided to take a dare. "Excuse me for asking sir, I know it isn't my place. But are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright. Why do you ask?"

"Well, there seems to be something that's troubling you."

John was at a loss for words. Should he lie or tell her the truth? If he lied to her, would she know? They didn't know each other that well. But if he told her the truth, he could run the risk of scaring her off and he didn't want that. Every minute he could spend with her was so special. But before he could even begin to tell her a lie or the truth, his thoughts were interrupted by rain. Slowly at first, but within a few seconds it was practically pouring down.

"There's a shed just over there. We could wait it out there." Martha yelled over the rain.

"Lead the way." John answered.

The shed was just visible from the road. It reminded Martha of the Tardis a bit. They ran towards it, Martha hoped it wasn't locked in any way. When the reached it, the door opened easily and John and Martha fell inside. John closed the door behind him quickly. Both of them were soaked to the bone. Martha already started shivering and she noticed that John wasn't warm either. Her medical knowledge kicked in.

"We should get out of these wet clothes. Before our body temperature drops to low and we develop hypothermia." Martha said.

"How do you know that?" John asked a bit overwhelmed.

"I er…er… read it in a book somewhere." Martha could kick herself. _You're supposed to be maid, not an almost-doctor._ Thankfully, John seemed satisfied with her answer. He turned his back on her and took off his long coat. His tweed suit underneath was wet as well. But his shirt and underwear was still dry.

Martha hadn't been so lucky. Normally she would visit the Tardis on a bike, but it had been a very nice day, so she had decided to walk. Halfway through her walk back to the school, she had taken her coat off, because of the nice weather, even though it was November. The coat was drenched and the dress she was wearing was soaking wet. If she wasn't mistaken her underwear was wet as well. She looked around and found a large blanket in the corner. It was made from very coarse material. But it would have to do. She pulled the blanket around her and reached under the blanket to undo the buttons. She slid the dress down to the ground.

Across the confined space John noticed that Martha was taken all her clothes off. How was he supposed to handle that? His breathing became difficult when her dress fell to the ground. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that she was only wearing her underwear now.

What he didn't know, was that Martha wore a bit more modern bra and knickers. She had tried the more correct ones for this time. But they were, in her taste, very uncomfortable and she had only worn it one day. That's why she went to the Tardis every day. Of course Martha loved the Tardis' company, but to get a clean set of underwear as well.

In Johns 'company she couldn't show her knickers, she wouldn't be able to explain the small lacy thing. So she crouched down, and made sure that her bra and knickers were firmly tucked underneath her dress before she got up, turned around and faced John again. Who was staring at her with bright red cheeks.

_TBC_

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Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed so far and added my story to their favs. I really appreciate it. And I hope you continue to do so. :-) Because there is a lot more to come…


	4. Chapter 4

Two very awkward hours later John and Martha still sat in the shed. Neither of them has said barely a word. It was all awkward glances and silences. They did sit next to each other for warmth, but as soon as limbs had touched, they both muttered sorry and continued with the silent part of this exercise. And the fact that John was only wearing his underwear and Martha only a blanket didn't help. John kept glancing at her legs and breasts, a fact that hadn't escaped Martha. But the reason completely eluded her. He wasn't interested in her like that. The Doctor didn't look at her like she wanted and nor did John Smith. She was convinced of it.

When the rain finally stopped after three hours, Martha sighed with relief. Without a word to each other, Martha and John got up and reached for their clothes. She put her still damp clothes on. Her underwear was still wet; she stuffed them in her coat pocket. Behind her John put his suit back on.

It had been the shortest three hours of John's life. When it had started raining he could see all of Martha's curves under her wet clothes. He hadn't mentioned it of course. But her body was more beautiful then he could imagine. The silence between them had been awkward but he had loved every minute of her company even if they had hardly said a word. If only the rain hadn't stopped. He had been working up the courage to start a conversation. In their employer- employee relationship he had no problems with speaking to her. Now however, a simple thought had been difficult to form and that was aided by the fact that she was only wearing a blanket.

In that cold shed John Smith had realised that he had fallen in love with his maid Martha Jones.

*****

The walk back to the school was again silent. Martha had her arms wrapped around her for warmth, and after a while John had put an arm around her shoulders. If it was for her benefit or his, John wasn't sure.

When they reached the school, people came rushing out to greet them. A lot of people were very concerned when they couldn't be found. And when they hadn't shown up for dinner, the Headmaster had sent out a search party. But they had returned, all soaking wet, and without news.

John quickly explained what had happened and that they both just wanted to take a warm bath, eat something hot and go to bed.

_TBC_

Sorry about the shortness of this chapter. The next chapter is about one event and I didn't want to cut it.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Martha found she now had a cold. Her throat was raspy, she couldn't stop coughing and all her bones ached. Still, she dragged herself out of bed and went to the kitchen to fix John his breakfast. When she reached his room with a full tray, she knocked, opened the door and entered. John was already awake.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Martha. Are you alright, you look a little pale."

"Oh, I'm fine sir. I think I developed a little cold." With those words she swayed on the spot. Stars were dancing in front of her eyes and a cold sweat ran over her body. John rushed forward and relieved her of the tray, which he put down on a nearby table. He took hold of Martha's arm and gently let her to the couch.

"Come on Martha. Sit down. You're clearly not well."

"I'm fine sir. I just felt a little dizzy. And I haven't had a chance to have breakfast yet."

"Then before you do anything else, you get some food in you." And on Martha's protests he added: "And no protest." And he pointed at her, just like the Doctor sometimes does.

He grabbed some of his breakfast of the tray and gave it to her.

"Eat." Martha obeyed.

John sat down next to her and watched as she ate a little bread, washing it down with tea. It was interrupted by a lot of coughing.

"Listen, you're in no shape to work. I want you to go back to your room, go to bed and don't come out until you feel a whole lot better."

Knowing that he wouldn't take no for an answer, Martha did as she was told. Normally she wasn't the obedient type, but now she felt too awful to argue. For once she wanted to give in, in being sick and have a good lye-in.

"Go Martha. I'll clean up here and I'll come to check on you in a few hours."

"Oh there's no need for that sir." Martha began. But again John ignored her protests and practically escorted her to her room, where he left her. Martha undressed and got into her pyjamas. She was asleep the second her head touched her pillow.

*****

Martha woke up as a cool hand touched her forehead. Her vision was all fuzzy and all she could make out was a head with brown hair.

"Doctor?" she asked.

"No, we've called him. He's on his way Martha." A voice she didn't recognize said.

"Really? Is he back?" And Martha fell asleep again.

*****

John watched Martha sleep. She was very sick and he fell responsible for that. If only he had offered her his coat, when they had walked back to school, she wouldn't be sick now.

When he had checked on her two hours ago, he hadn't been able to wake her up. He had Matron called and after taking one look at Martha, she had said that the doctor should be broad in immediately. She didn't trust Martha's very poorly condition.

The doctor had thoroughly checked Martha over, and had stated that she had a very bad flu, which was worsened by a very high fever. All that could be done was for Martha to stay in bed, she should be given plenty of fluids and Martha had to sweat out the fever.

All through the doctor's visit, John hadn't left Martha's side, his face a picture of concern. Everybody could see that John's feelings were a lot more then simply caring for somebody. But everybody kept quiet, it wasn't their place.

For hours on end John sat at Martha's bedside. Every now and again she would wake up and ask about the doctor. John told her that he had seen her, but that he had left again. Every time he said that, a single tear would escape her eye. And she would fall asleep with a smile on her face, when he would tell her that the doctor would be back to see her soon.

He only left her side to teach a class, but when he did his mind was always on her. And his students noticed this. He soon became the subject of ridicule; the teacher that loved his maid. John, however, didn't care what they thought, he could only think of Martha.

There was something about her that was special and he could see she was really smart. He could see it in her eyes. She would say something or do something and he wouldn't have clue what she was on about. She almost always had a snappy comeback, he could tell. But nine times out of ten, he could see her biting her tongue and keeping quiet. It was as if she was afraid of saying to much. Martha knew her place in society, but John could see she was capable of so much more.

Martha walked around the school as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders and her shoulders alone. Maybe she had to keep something secret, he didn't know what. She never talked about herself and whenever John would ask her a bit more personal questions she would quickly change the subject. And after a while he had stopped asking.

But now, in her feverous state, John learned more about Martha. And the most important thing was that she kept asking about a doctor, almost begging him to come back. Because she needed him, she said. But Martha never had met the doctor, and she couldn't mean 'the Doctor'; the man he dreamed about. That man, he'd made up. Why on earth would Martha want him to come back? He wasn't real. It made no sense. When she was well again, he would ask her and he would demand that she would tell him the truth.

_TBC_

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Thank, thank, thank, thank you soooooo much to everyone who has reviewed and has added my story to their favs. Some of you have even added me to their favorite authors! How cool is that! I feel very humble, because in my opinion my work isn't that great.

Next chapter: Friday 17 April


	6. Chapter 6

Almost eight days later, Martha felt human again. She still felt a bit woozy, but at least she could keep her food down now, that was something. She had no memory of at least five days; she had been told that was how long she been out of it. She didn't know that John had hardly left her side, that he had slept in a chair next to her bed and that he had told her stories about the dream he has. She didn't have a clue.

Martha was sitting upright in bed when John came in.

"Hello Martha. Back with the living?" John said with a crooked smile.

"Yes, I feel a lot better. Though still a bit like a rag doll. Was I really that poorly?"

"Yes, you were actually. You gave us quite a scare. We had the doctor here several times. I was really worried about you."

"You were?"

"Yes."

And again with the awkward silence; that happened a lot. Martha was deep in thought when all of the sudden John sat down on her bed. He took her hand in his and started caressing her fingers. Martha was too shocked to pull her hand back. She just starred at it, mesmerized. Why was he doing that?

Suddenly she felt his lips on hers; very gently he was kissing her! He was kissing her. The Doctor was kissing her. But he wasn't the Doctor, he was John Smith. John shouldn't be kissing her; she wanted the Doctor to kiss her. But John kissed so nice. Gently he nibbled on her bottom lip. Oh that was a very nice feeling. But it was still wrong.

Martha put her hands on John's shoulders and pushed him away. His lips left hers, but she could still feel them.

"W-w-why did you do that?" Martha managed to say.

"Because I wanted to." answered John, but he was stammering a little as well and he'd turned a little red. "I've wanted to do that for a while now."

For a second Martha didn't know what to say. "What do you mean, for a while now? No please, don't answer that. Could you just leave? I need to be alone."

"Martha, I think we should talk about this."

"About what? We kissed, I pushed you away."

"Yes, about the fact that I kissed you and you pushed me away."

"I pushed you away because we shouldn't be kissing, it isn't right."

"What do you mean it isn't right? I know that I'm older then you…"

"You don't know how much." Martha muttered under her breath.

"…but that doesn't mean it's wrong." John continued. "What are you worried about? About the fact that our skins have different colours? Because that fact doesn't matter to me."

Martha took a deep breath, summoning up enough courage so she could say what she thought it would take to resolve this. She hated the fact that she would have to hurt him. "I realise that, and it doesn't matter to me either, but I can't kiss you, because I'm … I'm in love with another man."

Johns face fell, as if she had hit him. And in a way she had. Without another word, John got up and left the room. A single tear ran down his cheek.

Martha remained in bed. Tears ran down her cheeks as well. She hated herself for lying to him like that. She hurt him on purpose. Just because he was kissing her, but he wasn't the right man? What gave her the right to do that? She hadn't lied; she was in love with another man, the Doctor. But they were almost the same man. John had little quirks that the Doctor had as well. Sometimes John would say something or have a gesture that was exactly the same as the Doctor's.

What kind of person was she turning into, if she could hurt people with a single word? Was it the Doctor, was it seeing all those things she had seen? She didn't have a clue. But what she did know was that everything that had happened was changing her, and she didn't know if she liked the person that she was becoming.

*****

Over the course of the next few days, Martha was declared healthy by the doctor, matron and herself. John hadn't come to see her, which was strange to a lot of people whom had watched him closely. But not to Martha, she knew exactly why he was ignoring her. She had hurt him, really badly.

The only good thing about this was the fact that it would only be another three days and Martha could open the watch and the Doctor would be back. Maybe she could ask the Doctor to take her somewhere completely different than Earth. Maybe there was some place where the skies were a different colour all together; that would be nice.

She could tough it out for three more days.

*****

Those three days had been the longest of Martha's life. John hadn't spoken with her. When she's come to his room in the morning to bring him his breakfast he was very short with her, bordering on rude and discriminating. It was all Martha could do to snap at him, but there was something holding her back. This was all her fault, she hurt him. That he was treating her as a non-person was her own doing. But how to get him to open the watch was a different matter. He wouldn't even look at her, let alone be in one room with her long enough to let her convince him to open it. But she would cross that bridge when she got there, which was today.

Three months had passed; the Family hadn't shown up, so presumably they're dead. That solved that problem. Martha was glad they hadn't shown. If they had, the Doctor maybe had been forced to do what he had been trying to avoid doing so in the first place, when he had set up this plan. Although, there hadn't been a lot of time for a set up, everything had happened so fast, that sometimes it still made Martha's head spin.

But she didn't need to worry about that anymore, as she packed her very few belongings, and headed toward John's room.

_TBC_

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I apologize for all the mistakes I made in chapter 5. Several of you pointed them out to me. I could kick myself for not spotting them. I only went over it and this chapter a few million times. * hides in shame* But then again, it is my own fault. I don't have a beta reader. Still hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you continue to enjoy this story. Please continue to let me know what you think. :-)

I've completed the story, so I should be able to give you fine folks a new chapter every day.


	7. Chapter 7

John was pacing back and forth in his room. For the past few days, he had felt miserable, with the same questions whirling round in his head; why had he kissed Martha? Why had he spoiled everything between them? They had a pretty good relationship, he thought they were friends and that kissing her would be a continuation of that. Maybe to attempt a real relationship with her; it was something deep down in his heart he really wanted. It felt right, being with Martha like it was meant to be. Even if he was just in the room with her, he felt better.

However, sometimes it felt like his life was not right; as if something was missing, just that _tiny_ bit out of reach. It was as if a part of his life was hidden from him. Like, there was a great secret about him, and everybody but he knew about it. However, sometimes it felt like his life was not right; as if something was missing, just that _tiny_ bit out of reach. She knew something and he hoped that one day he could look her in the eye and just ask her.

Ah, speaking of the devil, Martha entered the room.

"Hello, can I come in?"

"Yes, of course. What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About?" John enquired gently.

"About what happened a week ago? You know, about you kissing me."

"You want to talk about that now?"

"Yes, because I don't like the way things are between us. I think we could be really good friends and all this hostility, I don't like it." Martha looked at him, almost begging him to believe her.

"I don't like it either. But I love you. And you made it perfectly clear that you will never love me because you love some one else." John clamped his hand over his mouth; he had not intended to express his feelings like that.

Martha just stared at him. "You love me?"

"Yes."

Martha walked forward and put her hands on his chest. His heart was beating rapidly underneath her right hand. "I really don't know what to say to that. I wish I could say something or do something to make you understand how I feel."

Martha noticed her hands were shaking. She took an unsteady breath. "There is a man out there, whom I love very much. And he does not know that, because he is so distraught over losing the love of his life, that he hardly sees me." Martha swallowed hard before continuing,. "…But that is okay, because I love him to bits. And I just want to be around him. So therefore, I'm handing in my resignation. I can't keep working for you, not when things between us are like this."

Solemnly John nodded. He understood her reasoning. He took a step back, not wanting to feel her hands anymore. However, the warmth of her palms still permeated through his shirt, burnt into his chest

Martha looked around the room; looking at everything but him. Slowly she walked towards the mantelpiece and picked up a fob watch.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Oh, that old thing? I've had it for ages."

"It's very beautiful."

"I suppose. Look Martha, I really don't want to get into this. I find this already very difficult, and I don't want to seem rude, but could you, please, just leave."

"Yeah, sure, in a minute." Martha muttered.

"No Martha. Now! I can't do this."

Martha pretended not to listen to him. "Have you seen these engravings? They're so beautiful."

John took the watch from her and played with it for a bit. Then he handed it back to her. Martha didn't accept, but took a step back instead. "Do you think there are similar engravings inside it?"

"How should I know? I've never opened it before?"

"Really? Would you mind opening it? For me?"

John was still holding the fob watch. He looked at Martha and then back to the watch. Then he opened it.

A swirling golden-hued glow emanated from it. The glow formed a stream that surround his fore head for a few moments, and in a flash of brilliant light disappeared in his head. Briefly his eyes glowed gold; then it was gone. John stood there with his eyes closed. Suddenly he dropped the watch, grabbed his head in both hands and let out a moan.

"Oh, my head." He gasped.

"Doctor?" asked Martha gingerly, dreading to hope. "Are you alright? What is it?"

"It's the TARDIS," the Doctor said, at least when he said TARDIS, Martha assumed it was him. "We woke up simultaneously, and now she is reaffirming our link, and after three months it's kinda giving me a headache. Give me a second."

"Okay, why don't we move this way," said Martha, "sit here on the sofa, where you'll be a little bit more comfortable." Martha grabbed his arm and moved him. He was still clutching his head and followed Martha's lead without hesitation. He sat there for a few minutes, bent over, still clutching his head. Slowly he lifted his head from his hands. His eyes were closed.

"Hello, old girl," he muttered softly. Martha smiled; she knew he was saying hello to his TARDIS.

Then he looked Martha in the eye and gave her one of his heart stopping grins.

"Hello, Martha Jones."

_TBC_

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Yep, Martha tricks him. Since they're not really talking it felt like that was the only way for Martha to make John open the watch. But hey! The Doctor is back!

Good news: I have a beta now! The wonderful Gloomy-pearlz! Thanks so much already, you've made the story so much better.


	8. Chapter 8

Martha said nothing, she just gave a sob of relief and flung her arms around the Doctor. He immediately put his long arms around her, and held her. They sat there for several minutes.

"I've missed you so much," said Martha.

"Well, I wasn't aware enough to miss you, but if I was, I would have missed you to." He pulled back and gave her a soppy grin.

Martha returned his grin. Subconsciously she stroked his arms, up and down, up and down. As if reassuring herself that it really was him; that he really was back.

"So, what do we do now? I mean, can we just pack up, get in the TARDIS and leave?" asked Martha.

"Don't see why not," the Doctor said. "I'll pretend to be John Smith, quit my job, and then we pack up, and get in the TARDIS and leave. Now where is my suit, because I don't like tweed! And what is that foul taste in my mouth!"

The Doctor got up and started pacing, Martha leaned back on the sofa and just watched him, revelling in the fact that he was back.

"Yep, there's a distinct and foul taste in my mouth. Bleugh, blah, blue! No, no, no, no! Did you let me eat a pear? Oh Martha, I thought I told you to NOT let me eat a pear. Now I'll have this taste in my mouth for months. Thank you very much! And where is my suit, because this suit itches. I don't like things that make me itch all over. Where is it, and where's my sonic? And will you stop smiling at me like that?" The Doctor concluded his rather agitated tirade.

Martha was in fact smiling at him. Only the Doctor could ramble about such trivial things. Martha gave a snort of laughter, grabbed a pillow and buried her head in it. She continued to laugh until the Doctor pulled the pillow away, rather roughly it had to be said, and fixed her with a glare.

"Miss Jones, are you laughing at me?"

Martha pulled a mock serious face. "Who, me? I wouldn't dream of it." Then she smiled sweetly up at him.

"Martha Jones, you are very mean." The Doctor plonked himself down next to her and started to pout. Martha scooted over, hooked her arm through his and put her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Martha whispered.

"It's okay." The Doctor replied back, equally quiet

They sat there in comfortable silence, not the awkward one Martha shared so many times with John Smith. This silence was amicably and welcoming. But within moments the Doctor got fidgety again and stood up. He clasped his hands together.

"Right, onwards, upwards. Martha, are you packed?" On her nod, he added: "Good. Now, I'm going to go to the headmaster and hand in my resignation. Would you mind going through this place and see what we really need to take with us, you know, what's really mine? Brilliant." And he was out the door.

Martha hated the fact that even now she was being treated like a maid, but nonetheless she was glad to have him back and did what she was asked; she looked around the room again. What _did_ really belong to the Doctor in this room? Nothing, except one bag she had hidden in the cupboard. It contained the Doctor's brown suit, his coat, his sonic screwdriver and his psychic paper. She knew the Doctor well enough to know that he would want his own suit the second once he changed back, which he did, of course. So, yesterday, on her last trip to the TARDIS she had packed all of his things. She grabbed the bag and took out his suit, and waited for him to return.

_TBC_

* * *

OK, this one is a bit shorter to. I can't help it, it just seems to fit better this way. Please read and review

Next chapter coming soon...


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor closed the door of the headmaster's office behind him. The man had been disappointed that Mister Smith wanted to leave, but if his mind had been made up, there was not much he could do about it. The Headmaster had tried to convince him to stay; he was popular with the other staff and most of the students. But he had been adamant. He had added that both Martha and he would be leaving the premises immediately.

The Doctor walked back up to John Smith's room. That's what he thought of the man; to him that man was just a name. But that man had kissed Martha.

The Doctor remembered every single second of his time as John Smith. Including his feelings for Martha. From the moment the Doctor had met Martha, he knew she was special. He fell in love with her the moment they stepped out on that balcony at the hospital. She had followed him, no questions asked. As John Smith he had dreamed about her, dreamed about the Doctor's love for her. But how was he going to convince her that he, the Doctor, had fallen in love with her all on his own. That he didn't love her, because John Smith loved her. That he had gotten there first. As the smartest man in the universe, he had no clue on how to handle that.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't realise that he had already reached Johns room. He entered; Martha was standing next to the sofa, holding out her arms as if she was an assistant on a television show. On the sofa was his favourite brown suit. He gave Martha a huge grin, rushed forward and grabbed his suit. He could barely restrain himself from hugging it. He went to the bedroom and changed. The very itchy tweed suit, he left on the bed. He put his long coat on and checked himself out in the mirror. Yep, that was more like it.

*****

The Doctor didn't exactly know where the TARDIS was, but he could feel her in his mind. Her joy of having him back, her joy of the re-established connection. The closer he got, the more powerful the connection became. The Doctor and Martha approached the barn where the TARDIS was waiting. The Doctor could no longer restrain himself; he ran forward and pulled open the doors. His face lit up at the sight of the blue box. He ran across the barn and wrapped his arms around the TARDIS. Of course, his arms couldn't completely surround it, but it was close.

Behind him, Martha giggled and pulled the TARDIS key out from under dress. Why was it that the Doctor could walk around anywhere in his normal, everyday suit, while she still had to wear this stupid period dress. Oh well, it didn't matter. In just a few moments, the TARDIS would be bouncing through the vortex, and Martha would be relaxing in a nice bubble bath and then dress in jeans and a top with vest and sturdy boots.

Martha reached under the Doctor's arm and unlocked the doors. Without even a thank you, the Doctor crossed the threshold. The TARDIS' lights began to flicker, the hum increased and several lights on the console began to flash.

"Hello, my girl. Missed me?"

The TARDIS must have answered back, because the Doctor remained standing at the console, with his eyes closed and a smile on his face.

Martha decided to give them some privacy and walked to her room. Once there, she stripped and tossed the dress in a corner, hoping she would never see it again. Then she took a long shower, longer then she normally would. She dressed in the attire she had promised herself and headed for the kitchen for a nice cup of tea. The Doctor was already there.

"Hey," he said when he spotted her. "That was a long shower, are you all wrinkly now?" His face lit up with a cheeky grin.

Martha giggled, and showed him her hand. "Yep, I'm all wrinkly."

The Doctor nodded seriously. "Fancy a cup of tea?"

"Yes please. I could murder a cuppa."

The Doctor took out another mug and teabag. The kettle started to whistle and the Doctor finished making the tea. He placed the mug in front of her and sat down opposite of her. In silence they sipped their tea. Martha had no idea what to say. What _could_ she say? The Doctor was never a person that talked about his feelings openly and the last three months hadn't been exactly easy. He surely must remember everything, including their kiss. But she wasn't sure if she should bring it up.

In the meantime, the Doctor had decided to almost bury his face in his mug.

"Do you want me to bring you a snorkel?" asked Martha.

The Doctor looked at her in bewilderment. "Normal people lift the mug, but clearly you decided to dive in," Martha added with a smile.

The Doctor blushed. "Truthfully, I find this a bit embarrassing. So much has happened in the last three months that I had no control over. I'm just glad you got John Smith to back off, by saying that you're in love with another man."

And with that he got up and left a stunned Martha in the kitchen.

_TBC_

Boy, does the Doctor know how to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. It's probably a gift :-).

Thanks again to Gloomy-pearlz for beta-ing.


	10. Chapter 10

A week passed wherein nothing much happened. They visited to a few different planets, toppled a government or two and removed a few despots from power. Same old, same old really. But the one thing that had changed was the relationship between them. They were so friendly with each other, that at some moments the Doctor wanted to scream out his frustration.

The three months in 1913 was between the Doctor and Martha like an invisible brick wall. And no matter what the Doctor said or did, he couldn't break it down. It was as if they didn't dare be rude or anything to each other, other then friendly. And the Doctor was scared that if they _did_ start fighting that a lot of truths would come out and he wasn't ready for that. Not yet. If only he could figure out whom Martha was in love with.

The Doctor was pretty smart. And the most likely candidate was Riley Vashtee. Martha had even kissed him when they had left the SS Pentalion. Yes, it had to be him. And now Martha was sad, because she had left Riley on that ship, even though she had wanted to stay. Yep, his brilliant mind had deduced that it had to be Riley. Maybe he should offer to bring her back there?

But first things first. The Doctor had picked up a few strange signals from Earth. It looked like the Iilari were about to leave Earth through a space vortex, and that migration could be very bad for Earth. If it wasn't stopped, the entire planet would be sucked into that vortex, causing the complete annihilation of Earth. And of course the Doctor couldn't let that happen to his favourite planet. Besides, Martha would kill him.

So a few hours before the start of the migration, the Doctor called Martha to the console room and brought her up to speed. Martha listened intently and nodded at the right times, but the fact that their arms kept brushing against each other was a bit distracting for the Doctor.

The Iilari could sense the presence of superior technology, so the Doctor landed the TARDIS a few miles away from where the signals originated. They got a few odd looks from the taxicab driver; since the Doctor was carrying a bow and arrow. How that was going to stop an alien species that could travel through space; Martha hadn't got the foggiest.

*****

Okay, what was it with the Doctor and blondes, really? From out of nowhere a blonde girl had shown up. She and the Doctor had talked a little bit and the girl had handed him a purple folder. Martha had gotten more and more frustrated. They were busy with saving the world, thank you very much.

"What was that all about?" demanded Martha as they ran down the street.

"I'll explain later. First, we have to save the world," the Doctor answered.

"Oh, you remember that?" Martha asked derisively.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the Doctor shot her a bemused look.

"Oh, come on. You were practically drooling all over her."

"Drooling?"

"Yes, drooling. Instead of pursuing the inevitable "discussion", Martha made her mind up to deal with the situation at hand. "Which warehouse was it again?"

The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and activated it. It began to whir and beep and the sound didn't change but the Doctor did a hundred and eighty degree turn, and ran down the street. "This way." He yelled over his shoulder.

Martha was kinda used to this eratic behaviour, so she turned on the spot and ran after him.

"In what sense was I drooling all over her?" the Doctor yelled over his shoulder.

"Oh, never mind. Let's just get this migration dealt with." If the Doctor wasn't mistaken, Martha sounded a bit...envious or was it aggravated? The Doctor wasn't sure.

They entered the warehouse, where four creatures were standing in a circle. The creatures were about five metres tall and were a bright green in colour. Thick yellow luminescent pustules the size of lemons rang along their arms. The worst thing was the smell; like rotten eggs. Martha started to gag. Then she got scared as she saw the lizard. What was she thinking when she was imagining its size? That it was going to be small? Of course not!

The Doctor put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Martha, maybe you should get of here."

"No, I'm not leaving you." Martha was adamant, staring him boldly in the eye.

"Martha, I'm asking you to get out. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Doctor, I've been in worse situations and some of them I handled alone. Hell, I was alone in 1913."

"Oh, so that's what this is about." The Doctor fitted a few pieces of the puzzle together. "That's why we've been such good _friend-friends_ lately! You're mad at me for turning human and leaving you alone to deal with everything."

"Doctor, how could I be mad at you about that? That was a situation that was completely out of our hands. There was no time to make a different decision. And I wasn't completely alone; I visited the TARDIS every day and in a way you were there as well. Sometimes John Smith reminded me of you; I wished he was you." The moment the words left her mouth, Martha wasn't entirely sure if she should have said that.

That final comment made the Doctor think. No, it couldn't be. But maybe it could; so he decided to take the plunge. The timing was a way off, but what the hell. "Martha, I want to ask you something and I would appreciate an honest answer."

Martha nodded.

"Why did you tell John Smith that you were in love with another man?" It came out almost as a whisper.

Martha swallowed hard and quietly she said: "Because it's true."

Now it was the Doctors turn to swallow. "Martha? Who are you in love with?"

Martha said nothing and just looked him in the eye; the Doctor stared back. And then his eyes went wide as realisation struck.

And the Iilari attacked.

_TBC_


	11. Chapter 11

* * *

Three hours later, a very tired Doctor and Martha returned to the TARDIS. The lizard was dead and the Iilari were on their way home through a simpler and safer way then they first had intended. And what the Doctor had done with that bow and arrow? Oh, words couldn't describe it.

The Doctor and Martha were both covered in a gunk that smelled so fowl that Martha didn't _want_ to know what it was made of. She wondered was how many times she would have to wash her hair until she got the smell out.

They had to walk the four miles back to the Tardis; they hadn't wanted to draw attention to themselves, but attention they _did_ attract, what with the smell and all. This walk had been one of those awkward ones again; neither of them had even attempted to start a conversation. The silence covered them like a blanket. Both were lost in thought. Wondering who was going to say something, _anything_ first.

The Doctor was still reeling a bit from Martha's confession. He had dealt with the Iilari situation on auto-pilot. His mind had firmly focused on Martha. The look in her eyes had answered a lot of questions for him. If Martha really was in love with him, that would open a whole new world of opportunities for him. Maybe even have a future with someone who loved him, someone he could (well, not grow old with) spend a long time with.

As they entered the TARDIS, Martha walked across the console room without a comment. She was heading through the corridors towards her shower, when she felt a familiar lurch in the pit of her stomach; they were in the vortex. Martha stood underneath the shower for at least half an hour; washing the gunk away and washing her hair a total of three times. She wanted to stay there longer, but she knew that she would have to face the Doctor eventually.

When she entered her room, the Doctor was standing there. He was dressed in a dressing gown, his hair still damp from his shower. Martha was drying her hair, so she didn't spot him immediately. But when she did, she froze with the towel clutched in her hands. Absentmindedly, she noticed that his dressing gown was the same colour as the TARDIS' outer shell.

"Hey, I hope you don't mind, your door was open and I really wanted to talk to you," said the Doctor. The Doctor uttered. He sounded shy.

"Hey," said Martha . She was fidgeting with the towel "No, I don't mind. What do you wanted to talk about?"

The Doctor took a deep breath and said very fast and in a small voice. "Do you really mean what you said in that warehouse?"

"Yes, I do," she whispered.

The Doctor sighed and smiled, hopeful: "Really?"

"Really…"

"Good."

Slowly the Doctor crossed the room. He took her face in his hands; just like he had done at the hospital when they'd met. Very gently he kissed her. His hearts started to beat faster as Martha kissed him back. Martha dropped the towel and placed her hands on his hearts. She felt the hearts' beats thundering against the palms of her hands.

It was a gentle kiss. A careful caressing of lips; a gentle exploring of each others mouths. Hands moved up and down bodies; learning how they felt, how they moved and how they could give the other pleasure.

Panting slightly Martha broke the kiss. Her eyes were wide with love for him; the Doctor could see it. Martha didn't dare to think that maybe he…

"I don't know what to say," she started.

"No, me either. And that's a first for me."

Martha smiled and laid her head against his chest, listening to his twin heartbeat. She was scared to admit it so soon, but she still said it: "I love you, Doctor."

The Doctors hearts started to beat faster, again. "I love you too, Martha Jones."

"Doctor, please stay with me tonight? I just want you to hold me." Martha mumbled into his chest.

Carefully the Doctor picked her up from the floor and carried her to her bed. He sat her down. "You go and get into your pyjamas. I'll go and get mine. I don't think we should rush into something more… more…"

"Adult?" Martha offered.

"Yep, that's the word. I think we should take this slowly, we've got plenty of time." He looked down into her eyes. And all the Doctor saw was love and trust; it was exactly what he felt for Martha.

He kissed her again and left to get his pyjamas. Martha didn't need to know that underneath his dressing gown he was only wearing… well nothing.

When he returned to Martha's room, she was already under the duvet. He could see she was now wearing her deep red pyjamas, it reminded the Doctor of her favourite leather jacket. The Doctor turned of the lights and slid under the duvet next to her. He pulled her closer and spooned up behind her. Martha held onto his arm and pulled it a little tighter around her.

"You're right Doctor, for taking this slowly. We've got time."

That night was the first night in a very long time, in which the Doctor slept for several straight hours and without any nightmares. He was sure Martha Jones had something to do with that.

_TBC_

* * *

Words really can't describe what the Doctor did with that bow and arrow. No really, because I couldn't think of anything. ;-)

Thanks again to Gloomy-pearlz for beta-ing. Don't worry Gloomy, I'm giving you another warm thanks in my author's notes at the end of this. And then I'll tell the world exactly which bits you contributed.


	12. Chapter 12

London 1969

Martha opened the door to the apartment. It was small and dingy and after airing it for four days the smell had gotten a little bit better. It had taken the Doctor and Martha two days to find this place. The first place they had tried to go and rent was offered by an elderly lady, who didn't want to rent to a couple who weren't married. The second place was owned by a very rude man who didn't want to rent his room to someone of Martha's _kind_. Martha had just been in time to prevent the Doctor from glaring the poor man to death. The Doctor's stare could be very intimidating.

The third time had been the charm and the very nice woman of about sixty years old, that had rented them the small apartment, albeit a little upset that they weren't married, but the Doctor had explained that they were in fact engaged. Mrs. Robinson was a widow and was quite taken with Martha's open nature. The apartment was fully furnished and an hour later the Doctor and Martha moved in. Of course the Doctor had given his usual alias of John Smith.

They were exactly where they were supposed to be; in 1969. They hadn't arrived in their conventional way. They knew, the second that they left the TARDIS that their next destination was 1969, but unfortunately without the sentient machine. They were getting her back through different means. Knowingly stepping into the path of a Weeping Angel was risky, but it is amazing what you are willing to do when you basically know beforehand that everything is going turn out alright.

They got every piece of information that they needed from Sally's folder, and the girl had been nothing but thorough. That meant that the Doctor and Martha had been completely prepared when they had left the TARDIS towards Wester Drumlins. The Doctor had created the emergency program that would send the TARDIS back to them. He had put enough money in his pocket so that they could survive for at least a few days before Martha would have to go job hunting. The fact that Martha would have to go and work in a shop hadn't exactly gone down well, but the Doctor had convinced her that needs must. So she would just have to lump it, or she would be creating a paradox. The Doctor had clamped his jaw shut when Martha pointed out the fact that she could have lied (or did lie) on the Easter egg about working in a shop.

Life in 1969 was pleasant and even the Doctor had to admit after three weeks that 'being domestic' wasn't that bad.

And doing the domestic life had also changed their romantic life.

***

_After that first night in each others arms a lot had changed__. When they had woken up the next day, the Doctors hand had been on Martha's breasts and Martha had felt his erection against her bum. She hadn't expected that their relationship would go to adult so fast, but she wasn't against the idea. Even if they were to begin a sexual relationship, that didn't mean that they could still take things slow._

_That morning had been the first time they had made love. __It had been beautiful and intimate. They had decided to use protection at all times, neither of them was ready for children. _

***

Martha pulled herself out of her daydream. Even if it was a nice one. Their relationship had matured to a level that Martha was really happy with. They were serious about it, but still took things slow. Martha pulled the keys of their apartment out of her bag that was hanging over her arm. She opened the door, calling out to the Doctor.

"Doctor, I'm home!" Martha yelled.

"I'm in the kitchen," he yelled back.

"What are you doing in the kitchen? You're not cooking are you?"

Martha had come home one day and had found that the Doctor had made a right mess in the kitchen. He had attempted to make them dinner and had failed miserably. It had taken her several days to scrape something unidentifiable from the ceiling. Martha had made him promise that he would not cook without her strict supervision.

"No, I'm not cooking. And how dare you think that I would?" the Doctor said indignant.

Martha entered the kitchen.

"No, I finished my timey-wimey detector. And I found a nasty side affect it has." He sounded a bit hurt that his machine was capable of something that he couldn't correct.

"Oh, what does it… oh my god, what happened here?"

Martha looked around the disaster area that was now their kitchen. The door to the refrigerator was open and some how all the eggs had exploded. The Doctor was covered in egg white and looked as if he wanted to crawl under a rock and die.

"It can boil an egg at thirty paces, but it can do that so fast, that they blow up before I can stop it," he said, it came out a bit sheepishly.

Martha started to giggle and a few moments later she was doubled over, laughing her head off. The Doctor just glared at her, which made her laugh even harder. When she finally managed to pull herself together, she sent him to the bathroom to clean up, while she would deal with the mess that was their kitchen.

With the Doctor cleaned up and a small patch of the kitchen cleared so that they could eat, Martha had made dinner and they had just about finished when the timey-wimey detector started to ping. The Doctor and Martha looked at the device, then to each other and back at the detector. Without a word, they got up, grabbed their coats and headed out the door to find Billy Shipton.

Time for the final part of their plan.

*****

Two days later, Martha had a déja-vu moment when the Doctor wrapped his arms around the TARDIS in an identical manner to 1913. She smiled, she had missed the TARDIS too. The TARDIS' hum increased when they entered the ship and the lights began to shine brighter. The Doctor ran to the console, flicked a few switches and peered at the scanner.

"Oh, according to her, we've been gone for seven months." He stated.

"Huh, but we've been here for three! How does that work?" Martha asked a bit confused.

"Like I explained before, time isn't linear…"

"Yeah, I know. Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey…" she smiled sweetly at him.

The Doctor smiled back. "Exactly. Well, Martha Jones, what do you want to do now?" The Doctor began circling the console. "How does lunch at the Prestige restaurant on Tirana II sound? Or, a banana split at Harry Ho's in New England? You can have that chocolat-y thingy you liked so much. Or, dinner at… what…what are you doing?"

Slowly Martha walked towards him and pulled the zip from her coat down. She smiled seductively. The Doctor smiled back, met her halfway the console room. But then he surprised her, when he threw her over his shoulder, fireman style, and carried her off towards their bedroom. "We can eat later," he said. But his sentence was drowned out by Martha; who was screaming, laughing and begging him to put her down simultaneously.

Two hours later a much content and very sweaty Doctor and Martha collapsed onto their bed. The Doctor rolled onto his back, Martha lay on top of him listening to his heart beats. The Doctor was caressing her back.

"Martha?" His voice was a bit nervous.

"Mm…?" Martha didn't hear the strain in his voice.

"Will you marry me?"

Martha's head snapped up and looked at him. She had not expected this. But of course there was only one answer she could possibly give. "Yes."

"Really…?" He gave her a smile that made Martha's heart skip a beat.

"Really." Martha assured him.

The Doctor gently pushed Martha off of him and reached for his jacket. Out of its pocket he took a small box. He rolled on his side; Martha turned to face him. The Doctor opened the box and showed its contents to her. Inside was a simple silver ring, there were miniature designs engraved on the inside; embedded was a small orange stone.

"This is the last diamond that is left of my home," the Doctor said quietly, "It says 'eternal love'. It's in Gallifreyan." He sounded as if he wasn't sure how Martha would react.

Martha stared at the ring. She couldn't believe the Doctor was giving her the last piece of his lost home planet.

"I didn't think of you as the kind of girl who wants a big shiny ring." The Doctor flushed a little, mistaking her silence for not liking the ring.

Martha leaned forward and kissed him. "I love it, just as much as I love you. And you're right. I don't like those flashy rings with stones so big that you have to be careful not to cut yourself or others."

Relieved, the Doctor smiled. He took the ring from the box and put it on her finger. He kissed her and pulled her closer.

"I am getting a little hungry, by the way," said Martha.

"Yeah, me too. The restaurant on Tirana II?" said the Doctor.

"Sounds nice."

"Okay, Tirana II it is. I have to top up first though."

_TBC_

* * *

Hahaha, didn't see that last bit coming, did ya??!! But I have to keep my readers guessing.

Harry Ho's is an ice cream parlour that was mentioned in the NSA 'Forever Autumn'. It's one of my favourites and this way I managed to get a small reference in. Tirana II is my invention.

Oh and I apologize profusely for 'fowl' in stead of 'foul' in chapter 11 :-)


	13. Chapter 13

_I apologize for not posting new chapters the last two days. Work, family issues, you know how it goes. And to humbly apologize, you lovely people get TWO chapters today. The next one, I'll post tonight. But for now, enjoy this and please again let me know what you think of it._

_

* * *

_

"Cardiff!" yelled the Doctor.

"Cardiff?" Martha asked bemused.

"Yeah, the thing about Cardiff is that it's built on a rift in time and space. Kinda like California and the San Andreas Fault. But the rift bleeds energy. Every now and again I have to soak up that energy and use it as fuel."

"So it's a pit stop?"

"Exactly. Oh, the rift's been active."

"Hold on, they had an earthquake in Cardiff a couple of years ago. Was that you?" Martha was both amused and intrigued.

"Yeah, bit of trouble with the Slitheen. A life time ago, I was in my previous body back then."

Thankfully the Doctor had explained the whole regeneration thing to her, so Martha understood what he meant. He had explained that to her after the adventure they had had at a museum. There had been an exhibit that concentrated solely on the Doctor. The clothes he had used to wear and items he used to carry around had all been on display. He had given her a full biography of his life so far.

She followed the Doctor as he made his way around the console in his usual enthusiastic way.

"Right, _finito,_ all done." And then he glanced at the scanner and a look of shock crossed his face. But Martha never had a chance to ask him what was wrong.

Because all of a sudden the TARDIS was in flight, sparks were coming of the console and the Doctor was yelling something about them being on their way to the year one hundred trillion.

***

Captain Jack Harkness woke up from the dead, again. Sometimes he would wake up in a different spot, then where he died. This time he was lying on wet sodden ground and he was looking up in a set of beautiful brown eyes.

He smiled his most dazzling smile. "Captain Jack Harkness and who are you?"

"Martha Jones." Martha gave him a sweet smile.

"Nice to meet you, Martha Jones."

And a voice cried out: "Oh, don't start!"

Martha helped him up and Jack looked straight at the Doctor. Martha released Jack's hand and moved to stand next to the Doctor. He looked so different from the man Jack thought he knew; the person he had considered to be his friend. The eyes of this man, this new incarnation were the same, the same pain was there. But there was something else as well, something Jack could easily identify. There was a calmness of some kind, that hadn't been in the other Doctor's eyes. At times it _had_ been there, when the three of them, the Doctor, Rose and Jack, had been together. But in this Doctor's eyes it was more present. And the way that this Doctor and Martha were holding hands proved to Jack that this girl was responsible for that.

Jack explained how he got here; which Martha found really fascinating. Then Jack spotted the ring on Martha's finger.

"Yeah, it's my engagement ring," said Martha. She was a bit scared about his reaction.

According to the current Doctor, the previous incarnation of the Doctor, Jack and Rose had been really close; not that the current incarnation wasn't close with Rose and Jack...just a little distant, maybe. Martha was worried that he wouldn't take kindly to the fact that the Doctor had moved on from losing Rose. But Jack, although a little shocked, congratulated them warmly. They started walking around, exploring.

And all hell broke loose.

A lot happened in so little time: the Futurekind, Chantho, Professor Yana, helping the rocket lift off towards Utopia. And the Doctor's worst enemy; the Master, who had returned. An enemy that maybe the Doctor feared more than the Daleks, because deep down the Doctor and the Master were the same. And the Doctor knew that. But when the Master stole the Doctor's TARDIS, trapping him and his beloved Martha and his friend Jack trillions of years into the future, his fear for the Master was not as bad as his fear for Martha's safety. And there was Jack's safety to consider as well, even if the man can't die.

The Doctor was capable of multiple thoughts at the same time. Even now, the Master could somehow be hurting Martha's family, and that hurt Martha, and a hurt Martha hurt the Doctor. And if the Master had one purpose in life it was hurting the Doctor. But the Doctor knew at the same time that he and Martha had kept their outward feelings to themselves. And until the moment that the Master would be beaten, it would have to stay that way. The Doctor loved Martha with both of his hearts and Martha knew that. She would hopefully understand if he was a bit colder with her, so while still in the year one hundred trillion the Doctor threw up mental barriers around his mind. Barriers that he had not used in a long time; there had been no need for them. But if he was to keep Martha safe, this was the only way to do it.

But first they would have to get back to the year 2008.

*****

"They used to call it Shining World of the Seven Systems. And on the Continent of Wild Endeavour, in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the Citadel of the Time Lords. The oldest en most mighty race in the universe, looking down on the galaxies below, sworn to never interfere, only to watch. Children of Gallifrey are taken from their families at the age of eight to enter the Academy. Some say that's when it all began. When he was a child… that's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation to the Schism, that's a gap in the fabric of reality through which could be seen the whole of the Vortex. You stand there, eight years old… staring at the raw power of time and space, just a child. Some would be inspired…some would run away…and some would go mad."

Martha and Jack listened to the Doctor talking; talking about Gallifrey. The few times that he did that, he would get a look in his eyes that hurt Martha. Because he would never see it again.

"Martha, Jack, I need you to listen and I need you to listen carefully. The Master and I are from the same race. We have the same abilities, the same 'powers' for lack of a better word." The Doctor cringed at the word 'powers', but at least Martha and Jack were listening intently. "Time Lords are telepathic, even over vast amounts of time and space we could sense each other. The Master and I were good friends when we were young. We could always sense each other presence, and when we became bitter enemies, that didn't change. In my Eighth regeneration, I thought he died for good and it left a little hole in my mind. Even the presence of the other Time Lords couldn't conceal it. And after the war the hole was massive. But now, now that he's back, I can feel his presence again. And he can get into my mind."

The Doctor held up his hand as Martha began to speak. "Please Martha, let me finish. I've put up a lot of mental barriers around my mind. Especially the parts were you two are. Because if he finds out how I much I care about you, and yes that includes you Jack, he will come after you in ways you can't even begin to imagine. So until this is over, I _can not_ and _will_ not show any affection for you what so ever. Because those strong feelings will allow him into my mind and I can't risk that."

The Doctor stood up and walked away from them. He stood facing a wall when he felt two warm arms surround him; by instinct he knew it was Martha. For the briefest of seconds he allowed himself to submerge in her warmness; in her love. "Martha, please don't."

"Please turn around, Doctor. And look at me." Martha pleaded.

He did.

"Doctor, I love you. You know that. And when this is over you are marrying me, because I know you love me too. And your love for me will make me stronger to face whatever the Master throws at us. I understand your fear, that's why for the sake of safety I'm doing this."

With those last words, she pulled out the TARDIS key which was on a chain around her neck. She took her ring from her finger, opened the clasp of the chain, put her ring on the chain, closed the clasp and hung the chain around her neck again. "I'll keep you save in my heart. Now how are we going to go about beating the Master?"

_TBC_

* * *

The above mentioned museum featured in the comic serial The Forgotten. That was originally taken place after Journey's End, but I moved to fit here.


	14. Chapter 14

_Voodoo Child_ blared from hidden speakers as the Master took control of the Earth. Martha was sitting on her knees next to the Doctor, Jack was three metres away. The Doctor was whispering in her ear. A plan that was so dangerous, so daring. A plan in which so many things could go wrong. But it was the only plan they had. And she was going to have to pull it of.

The words of comfort and encouragement the Doctor whispered in her ear didn't matter, they didn't get through into her mind, except worry for her family and the Doctor. The Doctor was always the one who came up with the plans and executed them, and she would always be there to help him. But now she would have to be the strong, she would have to stand up and save the Earth, Martha wasn't sure she was capable of that. But the Doctor looked at her, the Master may had aged him but his eyes were the same. And the look that he gave her, gave her the strength to get up, the strength to save her family, the Doctor and the whole of Planet Earth...

The Doctor's withered hands slipped from her grasp. Martha looked at Jack and in his eyes she saw the same encouragement. She looked at her family and saw three terrified faces. Her family didn't have a clue of what was actually going on. She desperately wanted to tell them the plan, that they knew that somehow things were going to be okay. That, somehow, with her help, the Doctor would fix it all. But she couldn't.

Martha glanced at the Master, his back was still turned. She looked back down at the Doctor, with tears running down her cheeks she mouthed an 'I love you'. The Doctor didn't answer, he just looked at her. But Martha knew enough. Grasping Jack's vortex manipulator a little tighter, she pushed a button and in a blue glow, she vanished.

She landed on a hill side just outside London. Her body ached from the trip. As she looked over the skyline of London, millions of Toclafane descended and decimated it, while laughing and giggling like little children. Even from afar she could hear the terrified screams as millions of people were slaughtered.

"I'll come back," she muttered at the sky. It was a declaration of love for the Doctor, Jack and her family. It was a promise to the people of the world and a threat to the Master.

***

Five months went by and both the Doctor and Martha felt alone. But what no one knew was that ever since three months Martha felt his presence. It had taken the Doctor almost two months, but one night when Martha had fallen asleep from pure exhaustion, by that time she was awake for almost thirty-six hours, the Doctor had been there in her dream. He held her as she held him. Through their embrace they declared their love. During the day the Doctor's presence was there with her, during the night he appeared to her in dreams. They never talked, just held each other.

Sometimes Martha was worried that the Master had found out, because there were nights that he didn't come; followed by days that she didn't feel him. Until she realised that the Doctor had created a pattern. Three days and nights together, two days and nights away, one day and night together. Three days and nights away, two days and nights together, one day and night away. And the pattern would repeat. She cherished every moment he was there, and loathed every moment that he wasn't.

His presence kept her strong for twelve months, as people around her died to help her. Martha Jones had become a legend, but as people died to save her, she didn't feel legendary. In the back of her mind Martha knew that_ somehow _the Doctor would fix things, but he couldn't bring back the dead. All that blood was on her hands.

*****

"A gun? A gun in four parts? A gun in four parts, scattered around the world? I mean, come on, did you really believe that?"

Martha sat on her knees in front of the Master. She was at his mercy.

"But don't you wanna know what I was doing? Travelling the world?" Martha continued, starting to feel bold and confident. The Master was as cocky and arrogant as ever, but that was about to change.

"Tell me," said the Master smugly.

"I told a story, that's all. No weapons, just words. I did just what the Doctor said. I went across the continents all on my own. And everywhere I went, I found the people, and I told them my story. I told them about the Doctor. And I told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about the Doctor."

"Faith and hope? Is that all?" the Master sniggered.

"No, 'cause I gave them an instruction. Just as the Doctor said. I told them that if everyone thinks of one word, at one specific time…"

"Nothing will happen! Is that your weapon?! Prayer?!" said the Master.

"Right across the world! One word, just one thought, at one moment… but with fifteen satellites!"

"What?" _Okay, _Martha thought_, he's getting worried._

"The Archangel Network," Jack muttered.

"A telepathic field binding the whole human race together, with all of them, every single person on Earth, thinking the same thing at the same time. And that word…is Doctor."

Martha watched in amazement as the Doctor's cage shimmered away and vanished. How he was doing it she didn't know. And frankly she didn't care. She ran towards her mother and as her mother wrapped her arms around her, Martha felt the love only a mother could give. She watched as the Doctor became younger and younger, until he was his old young self again.

Then a lot of things happened at the same time: the Doctor and the Master vanished with the aid of Jack's vortex manipulator and all six billion Toclafane descended on the Valiant, but Jack was now armed and on his way to rid the Tardis of the paradox machine. It was almost over. Then the Valiant started to shake and the Doctor and Master reappeared. Martha tried to remain standing, but as the shaking intensified she was thrown away from a chair. The Doctor caught her mid-flight and both stumbled to the ground and as she looked into his smiling face, she knew, she and her family were safe again.

_TBC_


	15. Chapter 15

Why? That was the only question running through the Doctor's mind. Why didn't the Master regenerate? It was just one bullet; singular. He had regenerated from being shot multiple times. It wasn't that hard. Just trigger the process; that was it. But deep down the Doctor knew why. Because causing the Doctor pain was the one thing the Master lived for, and this was the ultimate way.

Through his pain the Doctor felt a hand on his shoulder. The hand felt warm, familiar. It could only be Martha. The Doctor opened his eyes and there she was. She removed the Master from his arms, and wrapped the Doctor in her arms. The Doctor sobbed even harder. Martha didn't speak, she just held him and rubbed circles on his back. When his final sob left his body, he pulled back from her embrace. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy.

"Hello," he said.

Martha put her hand on his cheek. "Hello."

All he could do was smile at her. But Martha couldn't smile. Tears started to form in her eyes, and within seconds Martha was the one sobbing, all of her pain was visible for her family. The Doctor held her as she had held him. They sat there on the floor. Martha's sobs subsided and she pulled out of his embrace. Now she could smile at him. Martha took her chain with the TARDIS key and her ring from her pocket. She removed the ring from the chain, ignoring the gasps from her mother and Tish.

She handed the ring to the Doctor and said: "Ask me again?" Even though the Valiant wasn't the best place, especially with the Master's corpse a few feet away, but it showed everybody that the Master hadn't won.

"Martha Jones, will you marry me?" The fact that her family was in striking distance from his jaw, was something he worried about. He kept a wary eye on Francine Jones. The Year That Never Was had warmed her up to him, but he wasn't going to put it all to the test. He would have to rely on Martha to keep his jaw safe.

"Yes, I will." The Doctor put the ring back on her finger where it belonged. Then he stood up, pulled Martha with him and faced the Jones family, ready for their possible wrath. Francine was too shocked to speak, Tish was joining her mother in shock mode and Clive Jones seemed on the edge of punching the Doctor. Jack, who stood a little to the side, just beamed at them.

Jack walked over to the Doctor and Martha and enveloped both of them in a hug.

"Thanks Jack," said the Doctor as Jack hugged him.

"What, for the hug? There's plenty more where that came from." Jack smiled his cheekiest smile.

"Stop it! I mean for everything," the Doctor said sincerely.

"Well, you're not going to be grateful when you see the shape the TARDIS is in," said Jack.

The Doctor went rigid on the spot with wide eyes in realisation, he turned and ran towards the elevator. Martha made to follow him, but was stopped by her mother.

"Martha, you're engaged to the man?"

"Mum, not now. I need to go with the Doctor and check on the TARDIS. I promise I will tell you everything, but right now I have to go." Reluctantly Francine let her daughter go. She had seen those few moments between her daughter and the Doctor and if she wasn't mistaken there was real love there.

During The Year Francine thought she had gotten to know the Doctor a bit better. Every time Martha was mentioned the Doctor's ears had pricked up, he had just been as desperate for every scrap of news about her. Only when the Master was around, the Doctor had been almost catatonic. And that vanished every time the Master had left. The Doctor had been able to tell them small amounts about their travels, and Francine had realised that the Doctor had begun to care deeply for her daughter. But it had taken her a while to figure it all out. It seemed as if the Doctor hid his feelings for Martha deep down and they had only resurfaced when the Master had died and time had been rewound. But that he loved her and had even proposed to her, twice, of that, she had no idea.

_TBC_

* * *

Right... this chapter and the next one are relatively short, especially the next one. I hope you'll forgive me for that. Please read and review??


	16. Chapter 16

One year and half an hour ago the Doctor had run through the same corridor. He had heard the TARDIS cry out for him then, and he heard her now. But this time her voice was quiet. Not the reassuring volume it usually was. It was never loud, but not quiet like this. He reached the outer shell and gently laid his hand on it.

"Oh, my sweet girl. I'm here." He muttered, heart broken.

He opened the door and entered. The console room was still bathed in a deep red glow. The console was ripped apart where the paradox machine had been torn from it. Pieces of the paradox machine littered the mesh floor.

He walked forward and started to inspect the damage. All the while he was talking to his beloved TARDIS, words off comfort and support.

He remembered a time when the TARDIS had been severely damaged as well. It had been after the end of the Time War. His memories were a bit fuzzy, because he had just regenerated. But they had survived that and they would survive this.

"Oh. My. God!" The exclamation startled the Doctor.

Martha entered the TARDIS, her hand clamped over her mouth. It had always been difficult for Martha to accept the fact that the machine was sentient. But to see the damage, and the state the Doctor was in, was enough for her to finally believe the Doctor entirely.

"Is she going to be okay?" asked Martha.

"I hope so," answered the Doctor. "Yes, with time, she'll be alright." He added with a little bit more emphasis.

Martha walked around the console, brushing her hand against it. She understood that the TARDIS could really feel it and maybe it helped her. Feeling a sudden burst of anger, Martha scooped up some debris, marched to the doors and chucked it out. Watched silently by the Doctor, she continued to throw more and more out until she could see the floor again.

Her eyes met the Doctors. Suddenly there was a golden light and Martha vanished.

***

Martha had just vanished before his eyes. The Doctor could feel the strain it had taken from the TARDIS to pull this off. He had known that it would happen, she had taken some of his strength as well. That was unusual, a TARDIS borrowing strength from her Time Lord, but in dire circumstances it could be done. The Doctor knew exactly what had happened and more importantly where Martha had gone. The why, he didn't know, but he would find that out when Martha would return.

"What happened to my daughter? Where did she go?" demanded Francine.

Martha's family and Jack had followed Martha and had seen her vanish.

The Doctor walked towards them. "Please don't worry. Martha is fine. I don't need her this time, someone else need her."

"What do you mean 'this time'?" asked Francine.

The Doctor smiled and explained.

_TBC_

* * *

Oooh, now where did Martha go...? Find out in the next chapter...


	17. Chapter 17

The bright golden light disappeared and Martha's world came back into focus. She had no idea where she was and the Doctor was nowhere in sight. Where had he gone? He was standing right in front of her, he couldn't have just vanished!

Her eyes adjusted to the dark. She could make out a door. She walked towards it and walked through it. She was outside somewhere, because she could see the sky. It was night and the stars and moon shone brightly. There were factories all around, so she was at an industrial site. But how had she ended up here? By now she had figured out that something had happened to her and not to the Doctor.

Martha turned back to way she had come… hold on, that was the TARDIS. She had been in the TARDIS? But where had the red glow gone? Why hadn't the Cloister Bell rung? What the hell was going on here?!

Figuring that she could only get answers in the TARDIS, she went back inside. The console room she found was massive and for a second she thought she had stepped inside a cathedral. Although the room was still dark, now she could make out the console itself. Laying unconscious against it was a man. He was dressed in a Victorian outfit and had long curly hair. And he was quite handsome.

He was muttering.

"No, please…I don't…Daleks…the end… I don't want to…don't make me…"

And Martha realised, this was the Doctor seconds after the Time War had ended.

"Please don't make me… alone…someone help me, please…"

Martha approached him warily. She didn't fear him, that was something she could never do. But she feared what he would do when he woke up and found a girl he didn't know hovering over him. Suddenly his eyes opened, and slowly while clutching onto the console for support, he stood up. He touched his head and collapsed again. This time Martha did rush forward, her medical instincts kicking in.

"Hold on, Doctor. I'm here," said Martha.

The Doctor looked at her, squinting, trying to put her into focus. "Are you an angel? I don't think I believe in them, but are you?"

"No Doctor, I'm not an angel."

"Oh." He sounded disappointed. He raised his hand, it was glowing. "You'd better step back." He said with a dazed smile

"Are you regenerating?" asked Martha.

"Yes I am." He nodded his confirmation.

The force of this particular regeneration threw Martha back and onto the floor. The Doctor had never mentioned them being this violent. Astonished she watched as the Doctor's features disappeared behind a golden glow. When it faded, a different man lay on the ground. He was taller, because his ankles were showing. His hair was short and close cropped, and his ears had become quite big. It was to dark to make out anything else. He blinked a few times, clearing his vision.

"Oh, this is something that I just can't get used to," he said. He spoke with a distinct Northern accent. "Oh, I sound like I'm from the North. Nothing wrong with that, lots of planets have a North."

Martha crawled back to him. "Doctor…? How are you feeling?"

"Okay, at the moment. But that can change. It has been known to happen. How are _you_ feeling? You're looking a little dazed." He said all that in one breath.

"Oh, I'm fine Doctor," Martha assured him, though she _was_ feeling a little dazed. Knowing that regeneration existed was one thing, but actually seeing it? That was a different matter all together.

"Do you know what fine means?" the Doctor said, with a haughty look.

"No, what does it mean?" Martha smiled.

"It means freaked out, insecure, neurotic and emotional." With those words he stood up and started to walk around. He was stretching his legs, bouncing on his toes and swinging his arms. Martha got to her feet and just watched him. He seemed to completely ignore her, apparently lost in his own little world. Maybe he thought she wasn't really there, that she was just a hallucination.

Martha moved forward and put her hand on the Doctors arm. He looked at it as if he was trying to figure out what the strange thing on his arm was.

And as though noticing for the first time that it was someone else, besides the TARDIS, who had questioned him, he turned his head around sharply and looked her in the eye. This, however, proved to be a mistake as he stumbled forward, but stopped himself short of falling down by holding onto the console.

"Who are you?" He asked rather brashly, but noting the worried and, slightly, curious look on Martha's face, he gentled and asked again: "Who are you?"

Suddenly Martha's hand started to glow gold.

"I'm…" Martha started to say. She felt a wave of dizziness and her vision blurred. And what the Doctor said next almost broke her heart.

Very quietly, almost pleading he asked: "Are you… a Time Lord?"

But Martha never had the chance to answer him. In a golden glow she vanished.

_TBC_

* * *

OK, admit it: how many of you had forgotten the prologue? I would really like to know and ask that you put it in a review. See what I did there? Asking you a question AND asking for a review. Sneaky huh?? ;-)  
Next chapter tomorrow...


	18. Chapter 18

When Martha's vision cleared, she found herself in the familiar console room of the TARDIS. The incarnation of the Doctor that she had _just_ left behind was walking around the console. At the moment he seemed oblivious to her presence, or at least Martha thought. Quickly, she hid behind the Captain's seat and she took the time to observe him. He was now wearing a battered black leather jacket with a dark red jumper underneath it, black trousers and heavy boots. He had an aura around him that screamed: 'Don't come near me'. He was talking on the phone to someone.

"…and we could end up anywhere." After a slight pause, he added: "Your choice." He hung up.

And Martha realised he was talking to Rose. She had no idea where and when she was exactly, but it was obvious that she was in the past, in the Doctors past, a past where he was travelling with Rose; a past where he hadn't met her, Martha, yet. The Doctor continued to walk around the console.

"You can come out, you know. I know you're there," the Doctor said suddenly.

So Martha got to her feet and gave a smile and small wave. "Hi."

"How did you get in here?" the Doctor said. He walked up to her. Because he was a lot taller then she was, he had to crouch over ever so slightly to address her properly.

"I don't know exactly," Martha answered. "I was talking to the Doctor and all of the sudden I was in his past. But I was there only briefly and then I vanished from that point and I was here. But _how_ and _why_ I'm here is a complete mystery."

"What do you mean 'I was talking to the Doctor', because _I am_ the Doctor." He eyed her suspiciously.

"I know, but I know the next you." Martha smiled at him.

Realisation dawned on him. "I see. Well, it's nice to meet you…"

Martha held out her hand. "Martha."

The Doctor took her hand in his and shook it. "Nice to meet you, Martha."

Martha relaxed her hand, intending to let go. But the Doctor didn't release her hand. He was staring at her. Then he started to squeeze her hand; almost to the point where it became painful. His eyes became big. "No, it can't be..." He muttered.

"Yes it can, Doctor." Martha assured him.

"You were there. After…" The Doctor faltered.

Martha nodded. Tears started to form in her eyes when the Doctor pulled her into a hug and held her tight. She put her arms around his waist and held him. When she felt he was starting to shake, she realised he was crying. Why was he crying? Martha stood there and held him. Right now, all he needed was someone to hold on to. And Martha served that purpose, because that was, at that point in time, all that mattered.

How long they stood there, Martha hadn't a clue. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. The Doctor pulled back and looked into her eyes. His eyes were red rimmed from crying but in them she could see gratitude.

"I thought you were an angel when we first met." It came out a bit bashful.

"Well, I'm not an angel. I'm just me. Martha." Martha gave a modest shrug.

"OK, Martha. Care to tell me who you are?" He smiled at her.

"Before I tell you that, may I ask you something first?" Martha asked.

On his nod of approval, she continued: "How do you know me? I mean, I was only there for a few minutes. And I know a little about regeneration and I know it can be rough."

"Oh, you're right. It can be rough. And that one was rough. But I remember you. You were there when I regenerated. And suddenly you were gone. You hardly said a word to me, but even those few moments… I knew I had met something special. No sorry, I mean, _someone_ special. I honestly thought that I had met an angel." In a soft voice he added: "Come to take me to my people."

"Oh, Doctor." Martha's heart went out to him.

"But when you disappeared and my regeneration started to go wrong, I had never felt so alone in all my life and I wished that you would come back. And suddenly there you were again."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on. I came back to you?. What do you mean? I left my time, found myself with _your_ previous self, watched you regenerate into _you_ and now I'm here. But…" Martha had figured it out. "…time isn't linear. Going back to your past for a second time is still in my future."

The Doctor smiled. "You are very good, Martha."

Martha smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Now, you were going to tell me who _you_ are," the Doctor reminded her.

"Yes, you're right. Well, there's not much to tell, really. My name's Martha Jones and one day I'm going to travel with you. Not with _you_, but the next you. Oh, you know what I mean. Should I be even telling you this?"

"Yes…maybe not. One should never know too much about their future, including me. So, I'll make myself forget. Though I think I'll put a trigger in my memory so that when you disappear from my future I'll know where you will be in my past."

Martha nodded. "That makes sense, but only a bit."

"I take it, you'll be leaving me soon though," the Doctor said.

Martha gave him a puzzled look. The Doctor pointed to her engagement ring. Martha looked at her ring and played with it. She smiled. "I won't leave you, Doctor. Without revealing too much, I can honestly say that I won't leave you."

"But won't your bloke miss you, while you're travelling with me?" the Doctor looked at her, not quite believing her.

"No, he won't. Please Doctor, trust me on that." Martha assured him.

The Doctor didn't have a clue what she meant. He was about to ask her, when her hand started to glow gold again.

"Uh-oh." Martha said.

"Thank you, Martha," the Doctor said quickly, but heart felt.

"You're welcome Doctor." And Martha vanished for the third time.

And again Martha found herself in the Cathedral like console room. The Ninth Doctor had gone. Martha walked deeper into the TARDIS. The corridors were completely different than what she was used to, so she had no clue on which way to go. She brushed her hand against the wall. She was unsure if it would work, but she asked the TARDIS to guide her. Martha knew the girl was badly damaged and might not be able to help her, but if she could get the TARDIS to help her find the Doctor, Martha could help him which in turn would help the TARDIS. It was a long shot, but still…

Martha felt a small nudge in her mind. She continued to walk along dark corridors until, with help from the sentient machine, she got to the Medical Bay. The Doctor was sprawled on his back on a bed. He had unbuttoned his trousers and his chest was now bare. He was taller then the Eighth Doctor and the clothes didn't fit anymore.

Martha rushed forward and gently placed her hand on his forehead. It was hot to the touch. From a nearby cupboard she plucked a stethoscope. Listening to his hearts, she found that both were beating, albeit a little sluggish. She didn't know a lot about regeneration, but she did remember the Doctor telling her that this one had been rough, so she decided to make him as comfortable as possible and just wait.

Quickly Martha pulled of his shoes and socks. She pulled down his trousers, making sure his underwear stayed in place. She had seen her Doctor naked a lot of times, but she wasn't sure if _this_ Doctor could cope with that right now.

From a different cupboard she pulled out two blankets. One she threw over the Doctor, the other she placed on the other bed. She pulled of her shoes and jacket and pulled the blanket over her lap. As she sat on the other bed and watched this Doctor, she couldn't help but wonder what she was here for.

_TBC_

* * *

I hope that you enjoyed reading that chapter as much as I did writing it. This chapter seemed to flow and almost wrote itself. It was a bit scary if I'm honest. Usually I'm not a fast writer, but this chapter and the next one I wrote in about one hour.

Ssssoooo, since tomorrow is a holiday here in Holland, I'm not entirely sure if I'm able to post chapter 19 then. I can garantee it will be up on friday, I promise.


	19. Chapter 19

I don't know if you remember, but I mentiond in my author notes at the end of the previous chapter that yesterday was a national holiday here... well that ended in a huge drama. There was a hit on our Royal Family. A mad man drove a car through the baricades at almost 100 kilometres an hour (I think that is about 60 miles an hour). A baricade were behind them several hundred people were watching the parade. The lunatic drove straight through. He killed 5 people, including a 6 year old girl and a 5 month pregnant woman. So far 15 people are still in critical condition in the hospital.

This entire story I dedicate to all the victims of that pointless attack.

* * *

Martha was still awake, when the Doctor woke up. She had calculated that she had been awake now for almost forty-eight hours. She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, but wanted to stay awake until the Doctor woke up, which he finally did.

"Hi," she said.

The Doctor, surprisingly, let out a yelp and fell from his bed.

"Who the hell are you!" he yelled.

"Doctor, it's me…" but suddenly Martha realised that this Doctor didn't know her. Martha pulled the blanket from her legs and slid from the bed. Raising her hands in what she hoped wasn't a threatening gesture, she approached him. "Please, let me help you." She implored.

But the Doctor pulled away from her, a wary look in his eyes. He got back on the bed by himself. He looked down. "Why am I almost naked?"

Martha retreated back to the other side of the room, giving him some space. "When I found you, you were only wearing your trousers. I pulled them off, so you'd be more comfortable."

The Doctor nodded his understanding. "Who are you?" he asked again.

"I don't think I should tell you, time lines and all that."

"So, you're from my future? A future companion?" He deduced.

Martha nodded.

"I don't want anymore companions," he said grumpily. "They cause nothing but trouble."

"Not all of them," Martha countered.

"And how would you know that?" the Doctor countered back.

Martha merely smiled at him. The Doctor gave her a look, which Martha translated as 'Right'.

"How did you get in here?" the Doctor asked. He sounded suspicious but intrigued at the same time.

"That question I can't answer either, simply because I don't know, because I just disappear here and reappear there."

"And you don't know what's causing it?" Now the Doctor _did_ sound intrigued.

"Nope," Martha answered. "But it's been… fascinating, for lack of a better word."

"Do you know _why_ you're here?" the Doctor asked.

"Yes, I think I know why. While you were unconscious, I think I figured it out"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows, asking for an answer. But Martha's hand started to glow again. "I will tell you when I get home. Just one word of advise, find someone to travel with. You, on your own, just is _not_ right."

"I don't need anyone." He said quickly and only a little heart felt.

"Yes, you do." Martha interjected. "Do you want a quick spoiler? Out there…" Martha pointed to somewhere where she hoped was the outer door of the TARDIS. "…is the perfect girl for you, someone who will make you feel alive again."

The Doctor looked at her; mesmerized by her words.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"I haven't done anything. Until next time, Doctor."

And Martha vanished.

***

Martha reappeared again, and was immediately grabbed in a hug by her Doctor.

"Hello, you," he said.

Martha hugged him back. "Hello."

The Doctor pulled back and smiled at her. "Thank you." He said heart felt

"What for?" Martha asked with a bemused smile.

"Being there. I know it was brief, but your 'spoiler' really helped me. To know, even for a few moments, there was someone out there for me. In my previous body I was convinced it was Rose, she was the one who made feel alive again. You were right about that, she did _actually_ make feel alive. But then I met you and now I know that I've been waiting for you."

Martha had tears in her eyes. "You remember all of it?"

"Yes. After you left, I erased my memories of you and like I told you I put a trigger in my mind. So the second you disappeared from _this point_…" the Doctor pointed to the ground with emphasis. "…I knew what had happened. And speaking about that, you have got to go and reassure your mother that you're fine. She's at home, by the way."

"We're not aboard the Valiant anymore?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No, two days have passed. Jack went back to Cardiff already. And I should call him to let him know you're fine. I promised him I would"

"Two days? How that does happen? I was only gone for about 24 hours." But Martha answered herself. "Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey…" Martha waved her around, mimicking waves.

The Doctor grinned at her. "We're parked outside your parent's house."

Martha walked across the console room towards the doors. But the Doctor called her back.

"Martha? Why? Why did you travel to the past? You said you had worked it out and would tell me when you got home."

Martha smiled at him. "Because I had to give you the spoiler and because I think the TARDIS knew that I needed to help you. And because I had been in your past already, she knew exactly where to send me and why she had to send me there; so I could help you."

Martha left the TARDIS and went to talk to her parents.

_TBC_

* * *

OK, that was the last time in this story that I use the phrase 'wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey'. It is such an easy phrase to use when you want to explain weird time-travelling stuff. Damn you Steven Moffat!!! :-)

Please let me know what you think.


	20. Chapter 20

Several days later the Doctor and Martha sat at dinner at Martha's parent's house. Martha had talked to her parents and had explained everything. How she had met the Doctor, where she had been (she didn't mention all the times she nearly died and the two times she had, which had been on board the Starship Brilliant). Her father was very impressed with the fact that his daughter was on first name bases with William Shakespeare. They weren't exactly happy with everything that Martha told them, but every time the Doctor would visit them, when he took a break from fixing the TARDIS, Martha would start to glow with happiness.

"Right, so all I have to do is take her out for a test drive," said the Doctor shovelling some lasagne into his mouth. "Care to join me, Martha Jones."

"Mr. Smith, I will," said Martha.

Then Francine dropped the bomb. "What are you going to do then, Martha? Are you going back to the Doctor and travel or are you going to finish medical school?"

Martha swallowed hard. She had expected the question, but not so soon. "I don't know Mum. I haven't exactly had the time to work that out." Martha glanced across the table and shot Tish a look.

Tish too her cue and changed the subject.

***

That night in bed the Doctor and Martha _did_ discuss it further.

"You want to stay here, don't you?" the Doctor said, already knowing the answer, but still asking her.

For a few moments Martha didn't answer. She embraced the Doctor a bit tighter. "I want to stay with you. I want to travel to distant planets and see strange and beautiful sunsets. But I want to stay and finish medical school as well. I want both. And I can't ask you to stay on Earth, that isn't fair. I don't know what to do."

Martha started to cry and the Doctor held her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Martha, for putting you into this position. But I think I've got the solution." The Doctor shifted them both a bit, so that they faced each other. Martha had stopped crying and watched him in wary anticipation. "You come with me tomorrow for that test drive. We go back to Earth, so you can finish medical school. And while you're doing that… I'm staying on Earth as well."

Martha's eyes went wide. "No, Doctor. I can't ask you to stay on Earth."

"Martha, you're not asking... I'm _telling_ you, that I'm staying on Earth. No arguments. For you I'll do the domestic thing."

"But Doctor…"

The Doctor silenced her by pressing his lips onto hers and making love to her. When Martha had been reduced to nothing more then a little puddle, she said: "OK, you can stay on Earth. Feel free to do this again when you want your way."

The next morning Martha said goodbye to her family, promised that they would be back in few hours and followed the Doctor into the TARDIS. The ship was her old self again. She hummed merrily at both of them as they entered.

"OK, so what's the plan?" asked Martha.

"Oh, nothing too fancy. Just a quick trip through the vortex, try and land smoothly in the past, back into the vortex and back here again."

"OK, sounds like a plan. Anything I can do to help?"

Martha had asked (more like begged) the Doctor several times for driving lessons but he'd always wormed his way out of _actually_ doing that. So Martha was shocked when the Doctor nodded.

"Yes, you can actually." He bounded over to her, put his hands on her shoulders and steered her to the right position at the console. Then he bounded back to his original position. "Right, listen. You _must_ do exactly as I say. When I say 'now', pull that lever by your right hand. By your left hand there's a green button, push that and when I say 'now' again, push to red one. Oh, and keep an eye on the gage in front of you, keep that set at eleven. Turn the knob beneath the gage if you need to change it. Got it?"

"Pull lever, green button, red button, keep an eye on that gage," said Martha.

"Very good," said the Doctor, fiddling with several controls. "Off we go. And…now!"

Martha did as she was told; she pulled the lever and pressed the green button. On the Doctors second now, she pushed the red button.

Suddenly there was a huge explosion and the whole room shook. Both the Doctor and Martha were thrown to the floor. As Martha picked herself up, she looked at the Doctor who had a befuddled look on his face. But he wasn't looking at her, he was looking behind her.

Martha turned.

Behind her stood the Ninth Doctor and Rose. They stood next to each other, looking in bewilderment to the Tenth Doctor and Martha.

"Who the hell are you?" the Ninth Doctor said. "And how did you get in my TARDIS?"

The Tenth Doctor got to his feet and bounced over to his previous self like a little puppy. "Oh, this is brilliant. Totally brilliant. The universe will go bang in five minutes but _this_ is totally brilliant. Isn't this brilliant, Martha?"

"Would you mind shutting up, skinny! I can't even think with you yapping me ears off," the Ninth Doctor yelled.

The Tenth Doctor just beamed. Martha stood beside him and smirked.

"Relax, Doctor," Martha said to Nine.

"How _do_ you two know who I am?" said the Ninth Doctor, a bit intrigued.

The Tenth Doctor kept smiling at him. "Take a wild guess."

The Ninth Doctors eyes went wide. "Oh, no. Please tell me you're kidding me?"

"I'm not kidding you."

"You're…"

"Yes, I am."

Martha felt like laughing out loud as the Ninth Doctor literally walked a circle around the Tenth Doctor. She couldn't keep it in… she began to laugh out loud. Ten whirled around and gave her a glare that said: _pack it in_. Martha pressed her lips together, managed to hold her laughter and smiled sweetly at her Doctor.

"Humans!" The Tenth Doctor muttered.

"Doctor," said Rose. "Who are they?"

"Rose," said Nine. "This is me, _or_ I will be him one day. Look, I'll explain everything when this is over."

"Ah, no. I think you'll explain now." Rose insisted.

"Rose, not now! I said I'll explain later."

Nine turned to Ten. "How did this happen?"

"Well, the Tardis was damaged recently," said Ten. "We were on a test trip and I forgot to put the shields back up. Your Tardis and my Tardis, which are the same Tardis, collided and here we are."

"We'd better fix it, because if we don't we will create a black hole that is going to be big enough to swallow the entire universe." The Ninth Doctor hadn't finished speaking yet, when all around them a bell started to ring.

"Is that the Cloister Bell?" Martha asked.

"Yes it is." Nine and Ten said simultaneously. Then Ten was moving.

"Martha, remember what I just told you to do? Which lever and buttons?"

"Yee-ss?" said Martha a little warily.

"When I say 'now'…" He gave her his most mischievous smile.

Martha nodded and moved to her original spot by the console. She shoved the Ninth Doctor and Rose out of the way. Rose a little bit more roughly then was absolutely necessary. With poised fingers she waited until the Doctor said the word.

"Martha…now!"

And Martha moved. She pulled the lever, pressed the green button, and on the Doctors second 'now' pressed the red button. She didn't know what the Tenth Doctor was doing, but he did pass her twice as he ran around the console. Martha kept her gaze on the gage, slowly it went to nine and Martha turned the knob clockwise till it said eleven again.

There was a blinding white light and the cloister bell stopped ringing.

Martha looked up at the time rotor. It had stopped moving.

"Did we save the universe again?" asked Martha.

"Yep," said Ten, popping the 'p'. "We certainly did."

"How did they do that?" asked Rose Nine.

Martha walked up to her. "Because your Doctor remembers what my Doctor did. He watched his future self doing that, and he remembered. This explains as well, why my Doctor showed me what to do before this even happened, because he already knew that I would have to do it."

Martha turned to Ten. "Am I right? Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey?"

Proudly the Tenth Doctor nodded. "Spot on."

Slowly the Ninth Doctor and Rose began to vanish.

"We are off," the Ninth Doctor said. He gave his future self and Martha a wave and he and Rose vanished.

But the Tenth Doctor rushed forward and quickly flicked a switch on the console and the Ninth Doctor reappeared.

"I just want you to know, that you're going to be fine. Because _I'm_ fine. By the time you're me you'll have gained so much. I know we're the same man, but I think you should know that I'm better now. Because of Rose and Martha."

The Ninth Doctor nodded. He didn't fully understand what Ten meant, but he knew that by the time he would say those exact words, he would know.

And once more the Ninth Doctor vanished.

Martha walked to her Doctor and put her arms around his waist. The Doctor pulled her close.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, I _am_," the Doctor said. He seemed a little surprised by this. That for once he was indeed alright.

"Right, Martha Jones. Just a quick materialization in the time vortex, just to be on the safe side, and then back home."

Martha's heart beat a little faster. He'd said 'home'.

The Doctor released her from his grasp and moved to the console. He began pulling levers and flicking switches.

But for the second time in a very short time the whole room shook, debris fell on top off them as the Doctor and Martha were once again thrown to the floor. When Martha looked up a bow of a ship had punched its way through the outside shell of the Tardis. The Doctor appeared by her side and pulled some of the debris off of her.

"You alright?'' he asked.

"Yeah, no broke bones." Martha said in mild bewilderment. "What happened?"

The Doctor reached for a buoy that lay on the floor, grabbed it and flipped it over. It said 'Titanic'.

"What?" he said.

Martha read it too. "What?" she gasped.

They looked at each other.

At the same time, they said: "What!"

_TBC_

* * *

Damn, I still went and used 'wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey' again!! *sighs* oh well...

Still hope you'll review though...


	21. Chapter 21

The Doctor sat on a hard chair in a large room. On his right sat Francine and Clive Jones and on his left sat Tish. Leo hadn't been able to make it as his daughter was ill. Today was Martha's graduation.

For seven months Martha and he had been living on Earth. And he had to admit that he had enjoyed every moment. While Martha had returned to medical school, he had actually gone and got a job. He loved teaching and history, so he had obtained a job as a history teacher. The fact that John Smith had been a history teacher as well, had not escaped him. But he loved it none the less. He was filling children's minds with knowledge, watching them listen to him as he told them about historical events as if he'd been there. Actually, most of the times, he _had_ been there. He had even put in a few things that weren't in the history books, like Napoleons favourite food and the fact that Cleopatra wasn't as beautiful as historians made her out to be. And he had proven himself to be quite an expert on Madame de Pompadour...

In between Martha's school and his job, they had planned their wedding. They had been husband and wife for three weeks, five days and two hours now. It had been a small ceremony. Only Martha's family and Jack were present. And the Doctor's best man had been his very dear friend Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. The old boy had found out that the Doctor was on Earth and engaged to be married and was honoured when the Doctor had asked him to be his best man.

Martha had been a beautiful bride; she had worn a simple white dress, a long veil and her father had given her away. The ceremony itself had been short, but cordial. There hadn't been long speeches, or a wild party into the dead of night. After the ceremony they had all gone to the TARDIS and the Doctor had taken them to a beautiful planet, where they'd had a small, but intimate party. And while they had danced, the Doctor had told her his greatest secret. Her entire wedding day had been as perfect as Martha had always dreamed it would be.

And now that Martha had graduated, the Doctor and Martha were planning on leaving Earth and resume their travels around time and space.

Martha's family, however, did get a bit of shock at Christmas when a replica of the Titanic had almost crashed on London and they had become angry when the Doctor had done nothing to stop it. Martha had, then, explained that she and the Doctor were already on board and had saved London, in their past, but in the city's present.

They had met a lot of wonderful people on board that ship. The Doctor had been mad at Martha for a few days, because she had followed him to Deck 31 and had done the unthinkable. Martha had sat in a forklift truck and had literally driven the bad guy in the exposed engines, although she'd had the presence of mind to fix the gas pedal and had jumped out at the last possible second. The Doctor had screamed at her for a couple of days that she could have been killed, because a lot of people _had_ died on that ship, save four. Mr. Copper and Astrid Peth were now living in London, posing as grandfather and granddaughter, and trying to make an honest living. The Doctor had helped Astrid to get a job at a shop. Midshipman Frame and Rickston Slade were on their way back to Sto to continue with their lives.

***

The Doctor snapped out of his day dreams as Martha's name was called. Doctor Martha Jones-Smith, he still wasn't quite used to that name. Martha stood up, walked to the podium and received her diploma. She beamed at the crowd before her and found her husband and family; she forgot all decorum and waved at them. The Doctor gave her a huge smile; one so big it made it made his cheeks hurt.

When the ceremony was over, Martha pushed through the people and suddenly found herself in front of her husband. He pulled her into a huge bear hug, lifted her off her feet, spun her round three times and plonked her back on her feet.

Words couldn't describe how proud he was.

But that night in bed he showed her.

***

It was already the next day when Martha packed her final bag, zipped it shut and brought it downstairs and put it with the other two suitcases. It was all she owned. All of her possessions had been blown up by the Master. Photos from her childhood, memorabilia from holidays; it was all gone. But it didn't matter. Those were just items, she still had her memories and her family was alive. Different photos could be taken, new memories were being made. Because waiting outside was the TARDIS, a brighter future with her husband.

For a man who claimed he didn't 'do' domestic, the Doctor was doing it an awful lot. And it seemed to Martha that he didn't mind one bit. He was caring towards her family, even staying for dinner. He had even picked up Tish from work at one time, when her car had broken down. Yep, he was absolutely 'doing' the domestic.

The Doctor left the TARDIS and came towards the front door of the Jones' house. He opened it and entered. Without a word he grabbed Martha's suitcases and brought them to the ship. He did give her a smile that said '_Let's get out of here!_'.

After seven months on Earth, the Doctor travelling urges had truly resurfaced.

Martha smiled back. She couldn't wait to see all those places out there again.

Martha turned round to her see her mother standing there.

"Well, we're off again." She said with a sigh.

Francine nodded. "Promise me that you'll be careful."

Martha nodded. "I promise. The Doctor and I will look out for each other."

Francine wasn't entirely happy with her daughter going off to God knows where, but she knew the Doctor wouldn't allow anything to happen to her, he loved her too much.

Francine grabbed her daughter in a tight hug. "I love you, Martha."

"I love you too, Mum."

Martha released herself from her mothers embrace. "I'll call you."

"You do that."

Martha turned around again, walked out of the front door and into her brand new life.

_TBC_

* * *

The line about Cleopatra can be considered canon because in the novel _Ghosts of India_, the Doctor does allude to that specific fact.

And the bit about the graduation ceremony I've completely made up. It's something I often see on American tv-shows, how people who graduate get their diploma's on a stage, in a big ceremony. Is it accurate? I don't know.


	22. Chapter 22

Oh, I'm so happy that this entire story is now completely beta-ed that I can't stop myself from posting all of the chapters very close to each other. Not that you people will complain of course :p So for the second time today: a new chapter!! Enjoy

* * *

Martha woke up alone. As usual the Doctor wasn't there; he didn't need much sleep so ever so often Martha woke up without him being there. She got up, grabbed her dressing gown and made her way to the kitchen.

Six months had passed since the Doctor and she had left Earth. They still managed to get in trouble every other day, get thrown into some jail every week and save a lot of people every day. Martha loved every second, because she was doing all that with the man she loved. And he loved her, which he showed her often.

The Doctor wasn't in the kitchen. With her cup of tea, Martha made her way to the console room. Martha suspected that the TARDIS loved her just as much as the Doctor, because she hadn't got lost at all in those six months. The old girl always looked out for the people she loved; not that she didn't do that before, of course.

Martha entered the console room as the Doctor hung up her mobile. He turned to her.

"That was Jack," the Doctor said. "He's asking for our help. Well, when I say 'our', I mean yours."

"What are you talking about? And please talk in normal English; I'm not fully awake yet."

"He needs the expertise of a doctor. He's got one already, but he requests our presence. Because Torchwood knows me and hates me, I can't go. So _you _go and I'll be your back up."

"You're making no sense whatsoever. I'll go shower and change and on the way to Cardiff you can explain more properly." And with that Martha walked off.

***

"Martha Jones!" Captain Jack Harkness gave Martha a big hug and gave her one of his trademark smiles.

"It's good to see you Jack," said Martha.

"You know why you're here?" Jack whispered.

She pulled out of the embrace, nodded and smiled at him.

Jack went on to introduce his team members. It seemed to Martha that they weren't exactly happy about the fact that she was there. But that was Jack's problem; he had called the Doctor and her for help.

After Martha had completed the autopsy on Meredith Roberts, she and Jack had a moment alone.

"So, Mrs. Smith, how is married life treating you?" Jack asked cheekily.

"So far, it's been brilliant." Martha smiled a bride's smile.

"Where is he anyway?" Jack asked, not having to specify whom he meant.

"He's in the vortex waiting for my call, pacing up and down the console room with my mobile clutched in his hand, no doubt." Martha nodded wisely.

Jack laughed. "You're probably right. I think he'll kill me if you get hurt."

Martha laughed too and smiled. "You're right; he _will_ kill you, several times over if he gets the chance. But there will be no need for that, because I am perfectly capable of taking care off myself." Martha crossed her arms deftly.

"You don't have to tell me twice. The fact that we're sitting here, is all the prove I need."

There was a moment of silence, both of them remembering stuff that they really didn't want to remember.

"Jack? Your team doesn't know who I really am, what are you going to do if they figure out I'm not with UNIT?" Martha asked.

"Let me worry about that." Jack assured her. "Now, how would you like the grand tour?"

"Oh, yes please."

***

The Doctor was indeed pacing up and down the console room. He wasn't happy. He had just gotten a quick call from Jack, explaining what was going on. Martha was now on her way to a place called the Pharm and she was wearing special contact lenses. Jack had given him the right parameters to search for, so now, the Doctor was seeing exactly what Martha was seeing. Martha knew that the Doctor was watching her, which made her more confident. So when she was out 'exploring' and a large alien came towards her and security found her, drugged her and she woke up strapped to a very uncomfortable bed, she knew he would come for her.

When Torchwood lost contact with Martha, Jack started counting. And he had only reached five when the TARDIS materialized inside the Torchwood Hub. All of Jack's team members made a grab for their guns when the Doctor came storming out of the TARDIS.

"Captain Jack Harkness, because of you my wife is in danger." He spat at Jack angrily.

Jack quickly turned to his team. "OK, all of you. Calm down. Put the guns away. Now!" Jack turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, I'm just as worried about Martha as you. We've got a plan, you're welcome to join us."

The Doctor deflated a bit. He hadn't expected that Jack would immediately come up with a plan; usually _he_ had to.

But then Ianto piped up. "Hold on, you're the Doctor; _the_ Doctor? You're the Battle of Canary Wharf Doctor?"

The Doctor nodded and said exasperated: "Yes, I was at Canary Wharf. Now can we please go and get my wife out of danger."

Jack nodded. "Yes, we can. Let's go."

_TBC_

* * *

Yay... the Doctor inside the Torchwood Hub. If only it would really happen... the Doctor meeting Ianto properly. I think I would die very happily :-)  
Please let me know what you think by pressing the green button down here** v**


	23. Chapter 23

An hour later; Jack, the Doctor and doctor Owen Harper found Martha. She was clearly in a lot of pain and under her skin there clearly was something moving. What it was, they had no idea.

"It's called a Mayfly," said Jack, getting the info through his earpiece from Ianto, who was in another part of the facility.

"I don't care what it's called," the Doctor yelled. "I just want it out of her!"

"Which is why I brought this..." Owen said, pulling the Singularity Scalpel from his bag.

"Whoa, what is that?" The Doctor asked. While Owen explained, the Doctor was already shaking his head. "No, no, no way. You're not using that thing on my wife."

Jack put his hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "Doctor, it's the only way. Now step back." He gripped the Doctor's shoulder firmly and pulled him back. "Owen, screw this up and I won't be able to stop him from hurting you very badly."

Owen glanced at the Doctor a bit nervously and concentrated on the job at hand. Carefully he calibrated the scalpel and at the precise moment Martha almost flat-lined, he activated it.

Martha sat bolt upright and collapsed onto the bed again; she flat-lined. The Doctor gasped. And suddenly the heart monitor began beeping again and Martha sucked in a huge breath of air and started coughing.

"Thank God, that worked," Owen muttered under his breath.

The Doctor rushed forward and lifted Martha of the bed. Gently he carried her out of the room, back to the SUV.

When they were outside again, Gwen, Ianto and Tosh appeared from the opposite direction. Tosh was holding a laptop and typing furiously away. On Jack's command she destroyed everything the Pharm was about.

As the Doctor put Martha in the back of the SUV, he heard a gunshot behind him. He turned and saw Doctor Copley lying on the ground with a bullet hole in his forehead and a gun next to him.

"He was going to kill you," said Jack to the Doctor and turned away. He couldn't look at the Doctor; he didn't want to see the disappointment the Doctor now _must_ felt for him "Let's get back to the Hub," was all Jack said.

***

By the time they reached the Hub, Martha was conscious again. She'd woken up in the Doctors arms. "Hey you," she managed to say.

"Hey yourself," the Doctor said. Gently he kissed her forehead and held her closer.

From the front seat Jack watched them. He knew the Doctor loved her, he had watched them get married, but it wasn't until now that Jack realised _just how much_ this Doctor loved her.

Martha Jones had become his life. He had seen the previous Doctor and Rose together, but what _this_ Doctor felt for Rose was nothing compared to what he felt for Martha.

Later Gwen would say to him, that the Doctor and Martha shared a love that could survive anything, even _she_ could see that. But what did she know, right?

Owen insisted on giving Martha a thorough check-up, and after giving her the all clear the Doctor and Martha left in the TARDIS.

Jack explained to his team who exactly the Doctor and Martha were. After his story, Ianto, Tosh and Owen, who knew about him through the Torchwood records, were now convinced that the Doctor could be completely trusted.

***

Martha recuperated further at her mother's house. She hadn't seen her family in a few months, so when the Doctor had suggested going there, she had welcomed the idea.

In the time the Doctor and Martha had been gone, Francine and Clive Jones had truly separated and the divorce had been filed. Clive's relationship with Annalise was something that neither had been able to get past. But the air between them had changed. They didn't fight anymore and had, after many conversations, decided to remain friends.

When Martha was feeling a lot better, she insisted that she could join the Doctor now. He had discovered something weird at a company called Adipose Industries. He'd been there yesterday and had tried to track down a weird bleep on one of his many and weird gadgets, but he had lost the signal. The Doctor wanted to go back to the building to check out a Miss Foster.

So, the next day, the Doctor and Martha broke in, and were forced to spend the day in a cupboard. The Doctor spent most of the time trying to hack into a wall to get into the computer beyond. Martha had spent her day being bored out of her mind. She had been able to distract herself by teasing the Doctor about a lot of things. And her day had taken a turn for the better, when he had pushed her against the wall and had -to put it bluntly- screwed her senseless.

By the time they had left the cupboard and made their way to the roof, Martha was feeling quite pleased with herself. She knew exactly which of the Doctors buttons she had to push to get a that pleasing reaction.

Going down in a cradle by the side of the building was not exactly her idea of a wonderful idea. She discovered heights weren't really her thing. Then the Doctor spotted something, or better yet: someone.

A redhead was gaping at them; through a little window in the door, across the room. She seemed extremely excited and she recognized the Doctor and he recognized her. The woman started miming at them.

Martha couldn't help but ask: "Do you even know what she means?"

The Doctor nodded as he was miming back. "Yes… actually I am, yes. Spooky, isn't it?"

Then the three of them were spotted. The Doctor told the redhead to run and he locked the door on her side of the office with his sonic screwdriver and then used it on the cradle. The Doctor and Martha shot upwards.

"Stay here, I'll be right back," the Doctor said.

Martha wasn't happy, but reluctantly did what he asked. About five minutes later the Doctor returned with the redhead and immediately pointed the sonic screwdriver at the control systems for the cradle.

The woman was babbling: "Cause I thought, how do I find the Doctor? And then I just thought, look for trouble and then he'll turn up! So I looked everywhere, you name it - UFOs, sightings, crop circles and sea monsters. I looked, I found them all. Like that stuff about the bees disappearing, I thought, I bet he's connected. 'Cause the thing is, Doctor, I believe it all now. You opened my eyes. All those amazing things out there, I believe them all. Well, apart from that replica of the Titanic flying over Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day, I mean that's gotta be a hoax!"

When the woman stopped to take a breath, Martha introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Martha Smith."

"Donna Noble."

"OK, ladies. In you get," the Doctor said cheerily.

"What, in that thing?" Donna screeched.

"Yes, in that thing," the Doctor answered.

Martha had climbed in already and she was soon followed by a rather irate Donna. They were descending again, when suddenly the cradle stopped and one of the cables started to spark and smoke and the cable snapped. Martha and the Doctor managed to stay inside the cradle, but Donna wasn't so lucky. She fell out and only _just_ managed to grab onto the snapped cable. She screamed loudly.

_TBC_

* * *

I went a little creative with the Torchwood bit. I know that in the episode 'Reset', they already know that the creature is called a Mayfly. But I needed a reaction from the Doctor and made it so that they only found out when the team arrives at the Pharm. As a second note, in this fic the episodes 'A day in the Death' and 'Dead man walking' don't exist, mainly because Owen didn't die...

Next chapter...tonight


	24. Chapter 24

Martha peered over the edge of the cradle. Donna was dangling a few feet lower, clinging onto a piece of metal for dear life. She could hear a buzzing sound above her and realised that Miss Foster was trying to cut the other cable as well. Before she could even think to say anything, the Doctor clambered up, held up his sonic screwdriver, plucked something from midair and used that to vanish inside the building. Then he peered out the window.

"Martha, come on." He waved at her to make her follow him.

"No way, I'll stay here." Martha was crouching down in the cradle with her hands pushed to the walls on either side of her, keeping her firmly in place.

"Martha! Come on!" The Doctor insisted.

Martha climbed up anyway, the same way the Doctor did. She held out her hand to the Doctor, he grabbed it and helped her inside the building. Together they raced down several flights of stairs and helped Donna into the building.

Once all three of them were safely inside the building the Doctor led the two ladies back towards the cupboard where he and Martha had hid all day. But on their way, they bumped into Miss Foster. A few questions were exchanged to and fro, and with a rather clever idea the Doctor managed their escape, too bad it did made all of their eardrums hurt. After a mad dash to their cupboard, proper introductions were made inside it.

"So how did you two meet?" Donna asked.

The Doctor was busy with the computer so Martha answered. "We met at the hospital where I was training to become a doctor. He checked in with fake abdominal pains, the entire hospital got transported to the moon. He saved my life and I saved his. And as a thank you, he offered me a trip and basically, I never left."

"Wow," said Donna impressed.

"I know," Martha said. "How did you meet him? Because you clearly know him, but he's never mentioned you?"

"What! He's never mentioned me even once? Oi! Martian Boy, you've never mentioned me once?" Donna moved towards the Doctor. With a finger she poked him.

Martha just giggled when she heard the term 'Martian Boy'.

The Doctor shot her a look. "Donna, I'm trying to work here."

Martha reached forward and put a hand on Donna's arm. "Best to leave him to it. So how did _you_ meet him?"

Donna sighed and turned to Martha. "Well, I was walking down the aisle in my wedding dress. Suddenly I started to glow gold and ended up in the TARDIS. Turns out my fiancé was poising me and cheating on me with a giant spider (at which point Martha's eyebrows shot up). The Doctor fixed it and we said goodbye. After a while I regretted not coming with the Doctor."

"Come with me?" the Doctor said in bewilderment.

"Oh yes please," Donna said cheerily.

Martha was about to say something when the computer started beeping and the Doctor started panicking slightly. He was screaming about needing a second capsule, Martha didn't have clue what he was on about, but coolly Donna pulled one out of her pocket. Grinning, the Doctor took it from her and he tied it to the computer, whereupon it switched itself off.

But then the computer started working again and started speaking in an alien language. Thanks to the TARDIS' translation circuits, Martha knew exactly what was said.

"Not good, right?" Martha asked the Doctor.

"Well, not for Miss Foster," the Doctor answered.

And back they ran down the corridor and up to the roof. A million cute little Adipose babies were floating up into the air, waving, on their way home. Almost unconsciously the trio waved back.

"What are you going to do now? Blow 'm up?" Donna asked.

"Donna! They can't help where they came from." The Doctor sounded hurt.

"Ha. Martha must do you good."

The Doctor took Martha's hand in his. Looking into Martha's eyes he said: "Yes, she does."

Martha put her arms around his waist and hugged him. The Doctor put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed.

Once they were back on the ground it quickly became obvious that Donna was coming with them. Martha had no objections, she liked Donna. She was sharp, witty and knew how to handle the Doctor.

It wasn't until the three of them had dodged the police outside the building, who were scraping Miss Foster of the pavement, and reached the TARDIS that Donna noticed that the Doctor and Martha were walking hand in hand. And she finally noticed their wedding rings.

"Oh. My. God! Doctor, you're married? Now, I hate to be rude, that's just isn't me, but what about Rose? I mean the last time we saw each other, you couldn't even mention her name without clamming up and now you're telling me you're married?"

The Doctor held up a hand to try and shut her up. "Donna! Yes, I'm married now. I moved on. A lot has happened and… when I met Martha I knew I'd found the right person. I still care about Rose, that won't change. And I hope she's made a great life for herself on that parallel world; that she has moved on; like I did."

Martha smiled at Donna. "Now, you're going to need a few things. Do you want us to wait, while you pack?"

"Oh, no need for that!" Donna answered cheerily and opened the trunk of her car and pulled out seven suitcases and even a hatbox.

Dumping it all on the Doctor and Martha, she suddenly rushed off to make sure her mother would get the car keys.

Martha and the Doctor looked at each other. Their lives were anything but dull, but with Donna… things would be even less dull. They both grabbed some of Donna's stuff and brought it inside their home.

They had just brought everything in when Donna came back.

"Right, Donna Noble, where do you want to go first?" The Doctor asked.

About ten minutes later, the TARDIS was spinning through the sky above an allotment in London. Donna was waving down at her grandfather. The Doctor and Martha stood behind her, laughing, because Donna was so enthusiastic and they both knew that Donna was clearly going to love every second.

_TBC_

* * *

Yay, Donna has joined the Doctor and Martha… I love Donna. Almost as much as I love Martha.

Next chapter... tomorrow


	25. Chapter 25

Three months later, the TARDIS was spinning through the vortex. Her passengers were asleep, even the Doctor. He didn't need much sleep, but even _he_ conked out occasionally.

The last few weeks hadn't been easy; especially their trip to The Library. And who exactly River Song was, the Doctor couldn't get his head around. If she really was whom he'd thought she was…

His hearts clenched, that this amazing woman had to die like this.

First there had been Pompeii. Donna had stayed in Pompeii to care for Caecillius and his family, as the Doctor had left to save Martha, who had been kidnapped by the Sybiline Sisterhood. The Doctor and Martha had then stopped the Pyroville race from taking over the world. Mount Vesuvius had blown up at the moment it was meant to, but what exactly had occurred at Vesuvius; both the Doctor and Martha had refused to talk about it.

The Doctor had told the TARDIS, he had no secrets from her. He had shared his memories with her. The TARDIS would keep his secrets forever.

Donna's first proper encounter with an alien race was emotional as well. She had been appalled that the human race was capable of this. She had even wanted to go home, but had changed her mind in the end. She was staying.

During this time the TARDIS had grown concerned about Martha. She wasn't feeling well and often excused herself. The TARDIS knew better then to pry in Martha's personal life; the Doctor would be outraged by it. But when the TARDIS realised that Martha was throwing up a lot, she decided to alert the Doctor.

After a lot of encouragement by the Doctor, Martha had explained.

She was pregnant.

She had been worried that the Doctor perhaps didn't want to become a father again; they hadn't even talked about having children. The Doctor had been shocked at first; he hadn't expected to ever become a father again. But he had gotten used to the idea, and now even Martha was looking forward to this baby as much as he was.

Martha had wondered how it was possible that she had discovered her pregnancy so late. The only unprotected sex they'd had was in the Adipose building and that had been three months ago. The Doctor had done a scan and had deduced that because this baby was half human and half Time Lord, it was growing slower then fully human babies.

Martha would be pregnant longer then nine months as well. A Time Lord baby was ready to be born after eleven months, but because this wasn't a normal Time Lord baby it might take even longer then that. A definite answer, he couldn't give. The baby would be born with one heart, but as it was half human, this child would never be able to regenerate, however it would be telepathic, but that would take years to develop. A human-Time Lord baby had never been born before, so Martha would be under strict supervision from the Doctor.

Of course the Doctor and the TARDIS were even more protective than they usually were. When the Brigadier had called the Doctor asking for help on behalf of UNIT, the Doctor answered. He had made Martha stay inside the TARDIS at all times.

It turned out the Sontarans were behind a plot to change Earth into a breeding ground. And the Doctor had been petrified when he discovered that the TARDIS, with Martha aboard her, had been teleported aboard the Sontaran ship. But Martha had managed to knock a Sontaran out with the Doctors trusty mallet and had opened the link to the teleport controls. Donna, unfortunately, had spent all that time with her grandfather and mother and had missed all the action.

With the Sontarans defeated, Martha went to her parents to tell them about her pregnancy. The Doctor had stayed in the TARDIS; as he was rather concerned about his jaw. But Francine had come to the TARDIS and had congratulated him warmly. The whole Sontaran dilemma had taught the Doctor that Martha was very capable of taking care of herself. And she and her baby weren't made of glass. Although, she _had_ promised to be more careful in the future.

Messaline had been an emotional rollercoaster for everybody, especially for the Doctor, because suddenly he found himself to be the father of a fully grown girl. And she had died. His beautiful little girl had been shot by a man who couldn't handle change.

He had been reluctant to accept Jenny as his daughter, but Donna had cleverly pointed out, that Jenny was just as much his child as Martha's baby was. Jenny was just fully grown already. The Doctor had hated the fact that Martha had never been able to meet Jenny properly. They had been separated after Jenny had blown up a tunnel and Martha had to cross the surface of the planet. Only minutes after they had been reunited, Cobb had shot Jenny. The Doctor had been _so_ ready to show his daughter all the wonders of the universe.

That night in bed, protected from the outside, the Doctor cried for his daughter. Martha held him close to her heart. She knew that even the baby growing inside her could never ease his pain of losing this girl. Martha knew him well enough to know that now; the Doctor would love and protect this baby for perpetuity.

_TBC_

* * *

OK, the facts about Martha's baby are completely made up. I did no research what so ever. I don't even like reasearch.  
I hope you that you enjoyed this chapter enough to review!

I promise that the next chapter does have dialogue. That should be up tomorrow and if you review I'll upload chapter 27 tomorrow as well.  
I know that that is blackmail, but who cares? I don't :-)


	26. Chapter 26

"We said 'no'," Donna said. She pushed a button on the phone, so Martha, who was lying on a chair next to her, could listen in.

"…a waterfall made of sapphires!" The Doctor said. Martha and Donna smiled to each other. "This enormous jewel, size of a glacier, reaches the Cliffs of Oblivion, and then shatters into sapphires at the edge; they fall one hundred thousand feet into a crystal ravine."

"I bet you say that to all the girls," Martha said.

"Oh, come on! They're boarding now! It's no fun if I see it on my own. Four hours, that's all it takes."

"No," said Donna. "That's four hours there and four hours back, it's like a school trip. We'd rather go sunbathing."

"You be careful, both of you, that's Xtonic sunlight."

"Oh, we're safe," said Martha "It says in the brochure this glass is fifteen feet thick."

"All right, I give up. I'll be back for dinner ladies, we'll try that anti-gravity restaurant; with bibs."

"That's a date. Well, not a date. Oh, you know what I mean. Oh get off!" Donna looked at the phone, frowning at her stupid sentence. Martha continued to smile.

"See you later, you two."

"Oi!" Martha hurried to say. "Be careful, all right?"

"Nah. Taking a big space truck with a bunch of strangers across a diamond planet called Midnight - what could possibly go wrong?"

***

The same man that had brought them the phone and their drinks came back to Martha and Donna. He bowed.

"Mrs Smith, Miss Noble. Something has transpired on the shuttle."

"I _knew_ it," Donna said. "I swear that man could find trouble in a box full of kittens."

Martha was a bit more worried, it had been the man's expression.

"Is my husband alright?" She asked.

"We're sure all the passengers are alright." The man answered. "We don't now exactly what has happened, since we've lost all contact."

Another man appeared and he began to whisper in the first man's ear. The man paled and swallowed. "It appears that not all of the passengers have survived."

Martha gasped and put her hand on her mouth. Her other hand reached down and caressed her stomach, her baby kicked.

Immediately Donna reached out and put her hand on Martha's shoulder. "You know the Doctor, Martha, always getting into trouble. I'm sure he'll turn up, smiling that mischievous smile of his."

Martha nodded. Donna was right. The Doctor was a master of getting into trouble, but also an expert of getting out of them again.

"Yeah, you're right Donna." Donna was sure that Martha had only said that to reassure herself.

"The shuttle should be docking any minute now. I'll make sure that your husband knows where you are."

And the man vanished.

About ten minutes later the Doctor arrived. There was a haunted look in his eyes. As if the base of all his beliefs were pulled from under him. Martha got to her feet, walked towards him and hugged him. The Doctor held her close, drawing strength from her.

Martha pulled out of the embrace first and the Doctors hands wandered over her body, to her stomach. Gently he placed a hand on their baby. It kicked it father's hand.

"Come on," Martha said. "Let's take a seat and then you can tell us what happened." There was no doubt in Martha's mind that something horrible might have happened, because the Doctor had never reacted in the way he was doing now.

The Doctor allowed himself to be dragged to the chairs. And he told them what had happened, every ugly detail, somehow trying to detach from the memory. When he was finished, he felt lighter somehow. The memory would still haunt him for a long time, but knowing that Martha and Donna knew what had happened made it a touch easier to bear.

"What d'you think it was?" asked Donna.

"No idea," the Doctor replied.

"Do you think it's still out there?" Martha asked. She looked up at the glass separating them from the toxic environment outside, now truly fearing the external world.

The Doctor didn't answer.

"Well, you'd better tell 'em. This lot," Donna said.

"Yeah… they can build the Leisure Palace somewhere else. Let this planet keep on turning, round an Xtonic star. In silence."

"Can't imagine you, without a voice," Martha said with a weak smile, grasping his hand.

The Doctor gave her a broken smile. "Molto bene."

"Molto bene!" Donna said teasingly.

Alarmed, but quietly he answered: "No, don't do that. Don't. Don't... "

Weeks later, the Doctor still had nightmares about Midnight. And every time he woke up screaming Martha was there. She held him, rubbed circles on his back and soothed him. But she never said 'it's going to be alright' or 'I understand'. Because Martha could never understand what had happened to him. The only thing she told him was that he was safe now, and that whatever it had been could no longer get to him. She repeated that sentence over and over again. Martha hoped that one day the Doctor would be able to look at dark corners, or hear knocks and that he wouldn't start shivering in fear. She really hoped that day would come.

_TBC_

Midnight out of the way... we're heading for the home stretch. Only 14 chapters to go...  
If you review, I'll upload chapter 27 later today.

* * *


	27. Chapter 27

Three months later the Doctor, a very pregnant Martha and Donna were in an oriental but alien marketplace just strolling along. It was a narrow, crowded alley with various people selling their strange items and not-so-strange items. The Doctor walked away from a stall, sniffing his fingers, he rejoined Martha and Donna. The trio were making their way down the alley, laughing. They stopped at stalls, talking to people and simply soaked up the atmosphere. Martha got lots of glances, with her very pregnant stomach. She was now eleven months and one week pregnant. According to the Doctor, she could go into labour any moment now. Over the past few weeks, after Midnight, the Doctor had taken his ladies to safe planets; they hardly ever got into trouble at the moment. Except for that nasty incident on Sto, but that_ so_ wasn't the Doctor fault, he'd only wanted to check on Midshipman Frame. But all in all, it felt like they were on a totally brilliant holiday.

They passed a stall that sold very strange beverages. The Doctor convinced his wife and best friend to try it. He bought three, and held two out. Grabbing his own, he raised it.

"Ladies, you are going to love this. One, two, three…"

Simultaneously, they took a swig and gave themselves foamy moustaches. Martha and Donna squealed with laughter. They continued down the alley, browsing, and went their separate ways. In a small corner of the market Martha found a stall that sold baby items. She had bought so much already, but seeing the small clothes made her all mushy inside and Martha started to search for something she liked. The Doctor appeared behind her and slid his arms around her, both his hands were resting on her stomach and his chin was on her shoulder.

"Don't you think we've already got enough clothes for this baby?" He asked.

"Nope… never." Martha said with a content smile.

The Doctor smiled as he glanced over his shoulder. Donna was talking to an Asian looking woman. She seemed to brush the woman off, but then seemed to have changed her mind and followed the woman into a red tent.

The Doctor redirected his attention back on Martha. She was still rifling through baby clothes. She held several up and watched them with a pleased smile. She turned around to face the Doctor and placed one of the little trousers over her stomach.

"What do you think?" She asked with a bright smile.

"I don't think it's the baby's colour," The Doctor answered with a straight face.

Martha, very maturely of course, stuck out her tongue in response. She turned back to the vendor. "I'll have these two, please."

The plump woman nodded and put the two items in a paper bag and handed it to Martha.

"For your beautiful baby…" She said in a raspy voice.

Martha pressed on, but the woman refused to accept payment. But she did express a wish that Martha should come back so she could see her baby. Martha promised to do _just _that.

"Where did Donna go?" Martha asked.

"She went that way, into that red tent." The Doctor pointed to the aforementioned tent.

Together they make their way to the tent.

Inside that tent, Donna looked at the door where the Asian woman had vanished through. The woman had said something that Donna couldn't comprehend. 'What will you be?' the woman had said. What did she mean by that?

Oblivious Donna's troubles, the Doctor and Martha come into the tent.

"Everything all right…?" The Doctor asked.

Donna looked at the Doctor as though she hadn't seen him in years. She rushed forward and threw her arms around him, gasping with relief. "Oh, God...!" She gasped

Bemused, the Doctor patted her on the back. "What was that for?"

"I don't know!" She hugged him again, released him and hugged Martha too, in a rather strangled way, because Martha was peering at something on the floor.

"What's that?" Martha pointed at the floor

The Doctor looked. He walked over, gently picked the creature up, flipped it over and placed it on a box. He started examining the beetle, poking it with an incense stick, while Donna sat on the Fortune Teller's box, sharing it with Martha

"I can't remember. It's slipping away. You know like when you try and think of a dream and it just sort of... trickles away."

"It just got lucky, this thing. It's one of the Trickster's Brigade, changes a life in tiny little ways. Most times, the universe just compensates around it, but with you... great big parallel world!"

"Hold on, you said parallel worlds are sealed off," said Martha, joining in on the conversation.

"They are," the Doctor explained. "But Donna had one created around her. Funny thing is, it seems to be happening a lot, to you." He looked Donna straight in the eye.

"How do you mean?" asked Donna, getting a little worried.

"Well, The Library and now this..."

"Just... goes with the job. I suppose." Donna said.

"Sometimes I think there's way too much coincidence around you, Donna. I met you once. I met your grandfather. Then I met you again. In the whole wide universe, I met you for a second time. It's like something's binding us together."

Martha knew her husband well, and could see the wheels in his head beginning to whirr a little faster, working it all out.

"Don't be so daft. I'm nothing special." Donna said sceptically.

"Yes, you are, you're brilliant," The Doctor insisted.

"You really_ are_ brilliant, Donna." Martha added for good measure.

Donna smiled modestly, not believing them. Suddenly she remembered the blonde girl. "She said that," Donna said.

"Who did?" Martha asked

"That woman… oh, I can't remember." Donna rubbed her forehead as if such an action would bring back the memory.

"Well, she never existed now," the Doctor said.

"No, I know but she said... the stars... she said the stars are going out."

"Yeah, but that world's gone."

Slowly, Donna started to remember more. "No, but she said it was all worlds. Every world. She said the darkness is coming, even here."

The Doctor's interest, piquing now. "Who was she?"

"I don't know. She never said."

"What did she look like?"

Donna remembered the blonde girl tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "She was...blonde."

Martha saw her husbands concern grow and moved to sit next to him. She held his trembling hand and was that fear in his eyes?

"What was her name?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know!" Donna maintained.

"Donna, what was her name?" The fear is now totally present in the Doctor's voice.

"But she told me... to warn you. She said... two words." Donna said.

"What two words? What were they? What did she say?" The Doctor dreaded the answer, because if she said those two words, the two words he didn't want to hear, things beyond comprehension would come about.

Next to the Doctor, Martha had followed the conversation. And she had come to a conclusion as well. It couldn't be, not her… please _not her_.

After a brief pause, Donna uttered the words that rocked the Doctor and Martha's world to the core: "Bad Wolf."

The Doctor's eyes widened, trembling more violently and squeezing Martha's hand a little tight. And now Martha knew that the Doctor knows for sure.

"Well, what does it mean…? Donna asked, but the Doctor had already leapt to his feet and exited from the tent in one swift move. Donna ran after him, then stopped and went back to help Martha, who wasn't so fast on her feet anymore.

Outside the tent everywhere they looked, there were are posters, banners, flags. On every single one of them the words 'Bad Wolf', 'Bad Wolf', 'Bad Wolf', are printed, over and over again.

As quickly as possible they made their way to the waiting TARDIS. The familiar notice on the door had disappeared, replaced with the words: it reads only 'Bad Wolf', repeatedly, the glowing letters over the door also proclaiming these words. The Doctor stared at them, in utmost shock, he pulled the key from his pocket and he wrenched the doors open.

The inside of the TARDIS was flooded with a red light and the Cloister Bell was ringing loudly. Donna slammed the door shut behind them.

"This is not good," Martha muttered.

Donna, not hearing Martha, asked. "Doctor, what is it? What's 'Bad Wolf'?"

"It's the end of the Universe."


	28. Chapter 28

The Doctor ran around the console. He switched off the Cloister Bell and the console room was bathed in its normal bright light.

'_This isn't happening this is _not_ happening'_ he thought. If the message really was 'Bad Wolf', then this would go seriously bad. Rose was the only one who knew exactly what 'Bad Wolf' meant. She would know that if the Doctor heard those two words it meant that something was terribly wrong, end-of-the-universe wrong. The walls of the universe were breaking down, and now Rose would be able to come through.

The Doctor glanced at Martha who was sitting on the Captain's seat, caressing her stomach. For a long time the Doctor would have given anything to see Rose again. But as he was watching his wife, he fully realised that those feelings were nothing compared to what he felt for Martha. If Rose really was coming back, he would have to find a way to send her back. He knew Rose, she wouldn't have moved on like the way he had. He knew that Rose would come back hoping to pick up where they'd left off.

With a thump, the TARDIS landed on Earth.

"Want to come outside?" the Doctor asked Martha.

"No, you go. I'll sit here for a bit."

"I'll be back in a sec," he said. Quickly he bounded over to her, kissed her, turned around and ran for the door, closely followed by Donna.

***

'_This isn't happening, this is _not_ happening'_ Martha thought. Rose was coming back. She knew the Doctor loved her. He had married her and they were having a baby. But the Doctor had loved Rose as well. What if he took one look at her and…? What if he left her for Rose…? What if he took her baby and raised it with Rose? She would die! _'No'_ she thought, the Doctor wouldn't do that. He loved _her_ and their relationship could survive the return of Rose Tyler.

Thankfully the Doctor and Donna came back that second, so Martha was forced to stop thinking of gloomy scenarios.

The Doctor went to the console and started pushing buttons.

Donna followed him.

"Thing is Doctor, this is bad, I get that, but… Rose is coming back. Aren't you glad that you're getting a chance to see if she's alright?"

The Doctor looked up. He smiled. "Yeah…" He _was_ grateful for that chance.

Out of the blue the TARDIS shook, hard.

"What the hell was that?" Donna demanded.

"I don't know, it came from outside."

He ran to the door and opened them. Outside was nothing but the black vacuum of space and a bit of space debris was floating by.

"But… we're in space!" Donna said, bemused. "What did you do?"

The Doctor ran back to the console, consulting the scanner. "Nothing, we haven't moved. We're fixed. It can't have... no."

The Doctor ran back to the door, rejoining Donna.

"The TARDIS is still in the same place, but the Earth is gone," he explained. "The entire planet... it's gone!"

"What about my family?" Martha asked. "If the Earth's been moved, they've lost the Sun. That means they could die."

"And my family too," Donna said. "They're dead, aren't they? Are they, are they dead?"

"I don't know, I simply don't know. There are no readings, nothing. Not a trace. Not even a whisper. Oh, that is... fearsome technology."

"So what do we do?" Martha asked.

"We've got to get help. We're going to the Shadow Proclamation. There we can get proper medical help for Martha if she's going into labour. Donna and I can pick her up when this is over. Hold tight. Donna, help Martha."

"Doctor, I don't need 'proper medical help', I am going to have this baby, right here in the TARDIS."

"Martha, please. I know that and if the situation was any different, you would have the baby here. But I'm not risking that." The Doctor was desperate to make her understand. "This could get very dangerous and I'm not risking you or the health of our baby. So I need you to stay at the Shadow Proclamation. I need to know you are safe."

"Doctor, please, don't make me stay behind in a place where I don't know a soul." Martha implored. "What if I stay there and I go into labour? I don't want to have this baby all alone, I want you to be there."

Martha looked over at Donna, who was standing behind the Doctor, pleading her for help.

"Doctor," Donna started. "Why don't we go to this Shadow thingy and when we have our answers, we'll see how Martha's doing and decide then. How 'bout that?"

Reluctantly, the Doctor agreed.

About an hour later, they arrived at the Shadow Proclamation. Martha was a bit freaked out to see the Judoon again. And meeting the Shadow Architect was a bit weird as well. For a while they were at a dead end, until Donna mentioned the bees disappearing. The Doctor got an adrenaline boost and started to work things out. Within moments they were back in the TARDIS and were following the Tandocca trail.

The Doctor never made a comment about Martha still being there.

The Time Rotor thrummed gently. The Doctor and Donna held on to the console for support, while Martha was sat on the jump chair when it stopped dead.

"It's stopped..." the Doctor whispered.

"What do you mean? Is that good or bad? Where are we?" Donna asked.

"The Medusa Cascade," he answered, looking at the monitor. "I came here when I was just a kid. Ninety years old. It was the centre of a rift in time and space."

"So... where are the twenty-seven planets?" Martha asked, joining them at the console.

Quietly he said: "Nowhere. The Tandocca Trail stops dead. End of the line."

Martha and Donna were getting jittery.

"So, what do we do? Doctor…? What do we do?" Donna asked, hope lining her voice.

The Doctor said nothing. He merely continued watching the screen, with an air of defeat.

"Don't do this to me," Martha pleaded. "No, don't. Don't do this to me. Not now. Not after all we've been through. Tell me what we're going to do and I will help you!"

Still, the Doctor said nothing; his silence, his uncharacteristic hopelessness, scared Martha and Donna more than anything…

"You never give up!" Donna cried.

Still the Doctor said nothing. He put his arms around his wife and held her tight. Donna put one hand over her mouth, not believing that this was happening. Not believing that the Doctor had given up.

_TBC_

Next chapter: the return of Rose Tyler...

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	29. Chapter 29

After almost two hours, an air of defeat still hung in the console room. Martha and Donna were sitting on the jump seat, holding hands, trying desperately to draw strength from each other. The Doctor was leaning against one of the support struts, lost in thought.

Suddenly there was a ringing sound from the console.

"That's my phone!" Martha yelled.

The Doctor rushed forward and grabbed it flipping it open. "Hello?"

There was no one on the other end, but there was a signal.

"There's a signal…" the Docto said.

"Can we follow it?" Donna and Martha asked simultaneously.

"Ladies, just you watch me!" A little of the old Doctor resurfaced.

A very rough ride later, one of the roughest _ever_, the twenty-seven planets appeared on the scanner screen. Where exactly the planets were had been Martha wasn't able to work out precisely, but she was just glad that the familiar shape of planet Earth was among them. The planets blurred from the screen and were replaced by several smiling faces.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?!" Jack yelled. "Doctor, it's the Daleks!"

"Martha, are you alright?" Francine demanded.

The Doctor was amazed to see the Brigadier sitting next to her.

"Doctor, it's the Daleks. They're taking people to their ships." Sarah Jane interjected.

The Doctor just smiled at the screen. Seeing all the people he cared about (even Francine) safe and sound. And of course Donna wanted to know who Jack was. Honestly, the man _only_ had to smile.

And then a voice came. A voice he had thought he'd never hear again. It was only days later that the Doctor processed completely what Davros had said, what he, the Doctor, had said. For a few moments the Doctor went catatonic, only a mental nudge from the TARDIS had been able to snap him out of it. But knowing that Davros and the Daleks were responsible wasn't a complete surprise. Somewhere in the depths of his mind, he'd already known.

Snapping out of the reverie completely, the Doctor pulled a lever. Disconnecting the Subwave Network and sending the TARDIS on a clear path to Earth.

The landing on Earth was pretty smooth. When the Doctor, Martha and Donna exited the ship everything around them was still and quiet.

"It's like a ghost town..." Donna said quietly.

"Doctor…?" Martha said. "My mums' house is around the corner. I'm going to make sure she's alright. And there's nothing you can say to stop me."

The Doctor nodded. "OK, but be careful. Stick to the shadows and move as quickly as you're able."

Martha nodded in return. She reached up and pulled his face down and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. For a short moment, their foreheads rested against each other.

"I love you," Martha whispered.

"Love you'" the Doctor whispered back.

Martha released him and started to walk towards her mother's house. The Doctor turned back to Donna.

"Think, Donna. When you met Rose in that parallel world, what did she say?"

"Just... the darkness is coming."

"Anything else…?" The Doctor urged Donna to remember.

Donna thought a moment, than her eye is caught by something over the Doctor's shoulder. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" she asked softly.

The Doctor looked at Donna in utter bewilderment. Then he turned around.

Standing a few metres behind him was Rose. Both took a step forward and flung their arms around each other. The Doctor laughed. Rose just giggled.

"Hi," Rose said smiling, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Hello," the Doctor responded. "How have you been?"

"Oh... same old, same old, really. You?"

"Yeah... me too." The Doctor turned to Donna. "This is Donna Noble by the way. Donna, meet Rose."

"Nice to meet you, Rose..."

"Exterminate!"

The familiar cry was distant, but the Doctor still heard it. It came from the direction that Martha had gone. The Doctor turned. Out of nowhere a huge fireball appeared in the night sky. The Doctor's hearts stopped beating.

"That's where Francine lives…Martha" he whispered and tore off.

In his mind he heard a single cry: _'Daddy!'._

_TBC_

Now, I'm sure that you lovely people of course have no idea who just called the Doctor? :-)

Hope you review

Because of work I won't be able to upload the next chapter until saturday. So I'll see you then and leave you with this clifhanger...

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	30. Chapter 30

The Doctor reached the street where Francine lived. Francine's house was ablaze. Three Daleks were facing it.

The Doctor spotted Martha. She was on her knees facing her mother's house. She was rocking back and forth, muttering, pleading for her mother; begging her to come back.

"Martha?" The Doctor yelled.

Martha didn't react. The Daleks did. All three of them swivelled around.

The Doctor rushed forward towards Martha, but he never made it.

Somewhere in the distance he heard the familiar cry for a second time.

Something hit him in the shoulder.

It was fiery hot, and it pierced right through him.

His legs couldn't support him anymore and he crumbled to the ground. He sensed something 'wrong' and knew Jack was there. How? He didn't know.

He felt someone was tugging at his arm and as he was hauled to his feet, he grunted in pain. In his peripheral vision he saw that Donna was helping Martha to her feet.

Next thing he knew he was laying flat on his back on the hard floor of the TARDIS console room. He could feel the sweet girl reaching out to him, trying to comfort him. He noticed that both Donna and Rose were crying. But he didn't care, he wanted to see Martha. With a lot of effort he managed to lift his head and looked at her. Martha was sitting on the jump chair, staring into space. Suddenly she looked at him; her eyes were filing with tears. The Doctor felt a new presence in his head, somewhere in the distance. It was probably the TARDIS.

The Doctor looked at his hand. It was glowing. "It's starting." He muttered.

Faintly he could hear Rose, saying that he couldn't. He ignored her, focusing completely on Martha.

Clinging to the console for support he hauled himself to his feet.

"I'm sorry," He said to Martha.

"I love you," Martha whispered.

"I love you too," The Doctor whispered back.

He couldn't control the artron energy build-up anymore. Just before the regeneration started he heard the TARDIS clearly in his mind: _your hand, use it._

***

Martha watched as her husband started to regenerate. Jack stepped away from Rose and Donna and hugged her, trying to comfort her, but failed. Martha understood the concept completely. She could only hope that after the regeneration the Doctor would still love her, and if she could still love his new self. That thought scared her.

Suddenly she felt a twinge in her stomach and felt something trickle down her legs. She looked down. '_Uh-oh,'_ she thought.

When she looked back up, the Doctor was redirecting the regeneration energy at his spare hand. The energy flow stopped and the Doctor staggered back.

"Where were we?" he asked.

Everybody was too completely stunned to say anything.

The Doctor bounded over to the console and started pressing buttons and twiddling dials.

"Er...Doctor?" Martha started.

"I'm fine, I used the regeneration energy to heal myself…" The Doctor answered, not looking at her.

"Doctor…?!" Martha interrupted with a bit more emphasis.

"Martha, I'm trying to save the universe here." The Doctor said exasperated.

"Doctor, I'm trying to have a baby here," Martha said in the same tone of voice.

The Doctor's head shot up.

"I leaked on the TARDIS," Martha said with a small smile. "Sorry."

The Doctor ran over, he found he was shaking all over. Facing Daleks, easy! Becoming a father again, terrifying!

"Are you having contractions?" he asked, managing to say it without stammering.

"No, not yet." She smiled at him. "We're having a baby."

"Yes, we are..." He gave her a huge grin.

Suddenly the TARDIS shuddered and all the lights went out. They could feel that the TARDIS was lifting off.

"The Daleks have got us, using a Chronon Loop; _that_ drained all the power. There's nothing I can do. We just have to go with it."

"Doctor, can I ask you something?" Rose asked.

The Doctor turned to face her. He knew what was coming. Mentally he braced himself. "Of course."

"You and _her_," Rose pointed to Martha. "You two are having a baby?" Her tone was cold, but underneath she sounded hurt.

"_Her_ name is Martha, Rose. And yes, we're having a baby."

"Right…"

The Doctor moved over to her. "Rose, when I lost you, I was devastated. And for a while, I stopped functioning. I just sat in my TARDIS, doing nothing, for weeks. But then I started travelling again and I met Martha. And she gave me a reason to start to enjoy life again. And I started to love her."

Rose just looked at him, eyes brimming with tears. "I thought…"

"What? That, _if_ and _when_ you were ever able to come back to this universe that we would just pick up where we left off?"

Rose nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks.

The Doctor stood before her, not knowing what to say. He desperately wanted to say something, anything to comfort her. Of course Rose would expect that if she came back that they would pick things up were they left off. When they travelled together, their worlds had revolved around each other. But the Doctor had moved on and found true love with Martha. Somewhere deep down, he had expected that Rose wouldn't have been able to do what he had done.

_TBC_

I hope that you lovely people enjoyed that... Reviews keep me happy!!!


	31. Chapter 31

"Doctor, I hate to interrupt," Jack started carefully. "But there's still the matter of Davros and a couple of million Daleks." Jack went into serious mode. "Now, we know there's a massive Dalek ship at the centre of all this. They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination."

"You said these planets were like an engine, but what for?" Martha asked the Doctor

The Doctor turned to Rose, remembering what she had said. "Rose! You've been in the parallel world, that world's running ahead of this universe, you've seen the future, what was it?"

"It's the darkness," Rose answered, brushing tears from her eyes.

"The stars were going out," Donna said.

Rose nodded. "One by one… we looked up at the sky and they were just dying. Basically, we've been building this... this travel machine, this... uh... Dimension Cannon, so I could... well, so I could...

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"So I could come back! But that doesn't matter anymore, does it." She fixed him with a glare. The Doctor looked back, defiantly. He had done nothing wrong.

"Anyway," Rose continued. "Suddenly, it started to work. And the dimensions started to collapse. Not just in our world and not just in yours, but the whole of reality, even the Void was dead. Something is destroying everything."

"Rose, in that parallel world you said something about me." Donna stated.

"The Dimension Cannon could measure timelines, and it's... it is weird, Donna, but they all seem to converge on you," Rose answered.

The Doctors ears pricked up when he heard that fact.

"But why me?" asked a bemused Donna. "I mean... what have I ever done? I'm a temp from Chiswick!"

Something on the console started to beep and the Doctor leaned forward to check what it was. "The Dalek Crucible; all aboard..." he muttered.

He turned to Martha. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine so far. Don't worry about me. I'm not having this baby aboard a Dalek Ship."

The Doctor pulled her into an embrace and kissed the top of her head; she was trembling.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

Martha shook her head. "Can we talk about it later? We have a few Daleks to beat." She smiled up at him, putting on a brave face.

The Doctor, however, wasn't fooled. He knew why she was trembling. "I'm sorry, Martha, about…"

Martha put a finger on his lips. "Not now, please… I can't…later…"

The Doctor nodded. "Saying that you'd better stay here would be…"

"… a complete waste of time? Yes, I'm not leaving you." Martha finished for him.

The Doctor pressed his lips together and nodded. He took her hand in his and squeezed, then let go.

He walked to the TARDIS door, opened them and walked out. Rose and Jack were right behind him. Donna, however, stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly.

Martha walked over to her. "Donna?"

Donna snapped out of it. "Yeah…!"

"We should follow the Doctor."

Donna nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

As the two women reached the doors, they slammed shut. Panicking slightly, Donna started banging them.

"Doctor?" she yelled.

Faintly they could hear him talking. If he was addressing them or the Daleks they weren't sure.

Martha started to bang on the doors as well.

"Doctor…? What did you do? I'm not staying behind. If this is your way of protecting me…" she yelled.

"I didn't do anything." Martha and Donna heard him yell.

Suddenly the TARDIS lurched and they realised they were falling. Donna grabbed the railing with one hand and flung her other arm around Martha; she was trying to keep the woman from falling onto the hard floor. The glass structures shattered all around them, and fire erupted through the floor. Donna half carried, half dragged Martha towards the console. With a little effort Martha crouched down underneath. Donna sat down next to her, trying to protect her friend from the explosions, smoke and sparks that flew from the console.

Martha suddenly noticed that Donna was staring at the hand in the jar. A golden glow that appeared from the hand was reflected onto Donna's face. She reached out and touched the jar. The golden artron energy engulfed her.

Donna gasped and started shaking violently, and the jar smashed.

***

The Doctor watched as the TARDIS bobbed up and down in the heart of the fire aboard the Dalek Crucible. He could hear her scream in his mind, pleading for her Doctor to come and help her. But he couldn't, for the second time in a short period, the Doctor felt helpless again.

Among the heart-wrenching screams that came from the TARDIS, he heard another voice, faint and in the distant, he had thought that is was the TARDIS; but by instinct he knew who that really was. His baby, his beautiful little baby he would never see.

His breathing was becoming laboured and suddenly he felt a warm hand clasp his own. The hand felt familiar, it was Rose's hand. Without thinking about it he pulled his hand free. He couldn't stand her touch. He heard her gasp behind him, he didn't care.

He continued to stare at the screen in front of him as the TARDIS was destroyed. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, a warm hand, a hand he _did_ welcome, Jack. Jack knew what that ship and those women inside that ship meant to him.

Together they mourned.

***

The destruction of the TARDIS continued around Donna and Martha, but somehow Donna seemed strangely immune to it. Martha was watching Donna so intently that she didn't notice that the energy had left Donna and had now engulfed the hand, which lay on the grating, its fingers twitching.

Donna watched the hand, as the energy spreads outwards from the hand into the shape of a man. When the shape was fully formed, it sat up suddenly; the energy dissipating from it, to reveal the Doctor, eyes wide, completely naked.

"It's you...!" Donna said in amazement.

"Oh, yes!" the New Doctor said.

"You're naked!" Donna continued, glancing up at the ceiling.

"Oh, yes!" the New Doctor repeated.

From his sitting position he shot up and pressed a button on the console. He stood up and then left the console room.

Donna and Martha watched him go in amazement.

_TBC_


	32. Chapter 32

When the New Doctor re-emerged, he was wearing the blue suit and a red t-shirt. He ran around the console, pulling levers, typing stuff in; the console room slowly started to repair itself. Martha let out a small gasp and started to slowly breathe in and out. The New Doctor rushed to her side.

"Contractions?" he asked.

Martha nodded. "They are only about thirty minutes apart…so far..."

"OK, let's move you to the Medical Bay," the New Doctor said.

Martha looked into this new man's eyes. "You look like my husband, but you're not him, are you? You are… what… a clone?"

The New Doctor shook his head. "No, I'm not your husband. I look like him, talk like him and I have all of his memories, but I'm indeed not your husband. But that doesn't mean that I don't care about you or this baby."

Martha looked into his eyes and believed him. She allowed him to lead her into the Medical Bay. Donna followed closely. Once she was laid comfortably onto a bed, she sent the New Doctor and Donna away.

She would concentrate on the baby, they about saving the universe.

***

The New Doctor and Donna left the Medical Bay and made their way back to the console room. With a quick stab at a button on the console, he made contact with the Medical Bay.

"Martha, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I can."

"Good, yell immediately if you need us!"

"Don't worry, I will."

"Beautiful, I'll keep the intercom open so you'll always know what is going on." He bounded over to the door and stood on the railings; he brushed the last few specks of dust away. "All repaired! Lovely! Sshh! No-one knows we're here; gotta keep quiet. Silent running, like on submarines when they can't even drop a spanner. Don't drop a spanner. I like blue, what do you think?

"You - are - bonkers!"

"Why?! What's wrong with blue?"

"Is that what Time Lords do? Lop a bit off, grow another one? You're like worms!"

"No, no, no, no, no, I'm unique. Never been another like me! Because all that regeneration energy went into the hand - look at my hand, I love that hand..." the New Doctor wiggled his fingers in front of Donna's face. "But then you touched it and WHAM! Instantaneous biological metacrisis… I grew... out of you. Still, could be worse."

"Oi, watch it, spaceman!" Donna yelled.

"Oi, watch it, Earth-girl! Oh! I sound like you! I sound all... all sort of, rough."

"Oi!" Donna yelled again.

"Oi!" the New Doctor yelled back.

"Oi!" Donna was starting to get mad now.

"Spanners… sshh…!"

Donna pursed her lips.

"Must've picked up a bit of your voice, that's all. Is it? Did I? No. Oh! You are kidding me, no WAY. One heart..." the New Doctor puts a hand on his chest. "I've got one heart! This body... has got only one heart!"

"What, like you're human?" This was getting weirder by the second.

"Oh, that's disgusting."

"Oi!" Donna yelled for the third time.

"Oi!" the New Doctor yelled again

Donna was starting to get really mad now. "Stop it!"

"No, wait; I'm... part-Time Lord, part-human... Well, isn't _that_ wizard?"

Faintly they could both hear Martha giggling. She now completely realised that that man was indeed _not_ her husband. He was right, they were practically the same, but there was a touch of Donna in there as well. So basically, Donna was now arguing with herself.

She concentrated on their conversation again.

"... you really don't believe that, do you? I can see, Donna... what you're thinking… all that attitude… all that lip, 'cos after all this time... you think you're not worth it."

"Stop it." Donna muttered, sounding hurt.

"Shouting at the world, 'cause no-one's listening…Well... why should they?"

"Doctor…? Stop it." Donna whispered, really hurting now.

"But look at what you did...," he proudly stated. "No. It's more than that, it's like... We were always heading for this. You came to the TARDIS. And you found me again. Your granddad; your car! Donna, your car! You parked your car right where the TARDIS was gonna land, that's not coincidence at all! We've been blind! Something's been drawing us together for such a long time."

Donna had been listening to him breathlessly. "But you're talking like... destiny. But there's no such thing... is there?"

"It's still not finished. It's like... the pattern's not complete. The strands are still joining together. But heading for what?"

"Can we figure that out later? We have a universe to save," Martha's voice boomed through the console room, making the New Doctor and Donna jump.

Immediately after that the New Doctor shushed her.

_TBC_

OK, the only reason why this chapter is wasted on banter between the New Doctor and Donna is.... well, because it is totally the most brilliant scene of the whole of series 4. New stuff in the next chapter, promise.


	33. Chapter 33

The New Doctor worked furiously. After working out what Davros was planning, he had built a Z-Neutrino biological inversion catalyser. Because Davros had created the Daleks out of himself, the Daleks were all linked. Take out Davros and it would cause the biggest backfire in history. While the New Doctor built his device, Donna sat with Martha, holding her hand, mopping her brow, trying to be of any kind of help.

After a while, the New Doctor called Donna back to the console room. The catalyser was ready and they had to go and save the universe. Donna was reluctant to go but Martha's contractions were still a good ten minutes apart, so Donna was forced by Martha to go and help.

***

The Doctor was numb; he didn't feel a thing anymore. His wife was dead, his child was dead, his best friend was dead and the TARDIS was destroyed.

He had nothing left in the universe.

Only on auto-pilot had he defended Rose against Davros.

He hadn't meant a word he had said. He couldn't bring himself to care anymore.

Even the knowledge that Jack was still moving around the Crucible did nothing to lift his spirits, brilliant as it was. Even Davros 'revealing his soul' could no longer hurt him.

But out of nowhere he heard a voice in his mind. A voice he loved… the TARDIS. In quick succession she showed him all that he needed to know. The most important fact was that Martha, the baby and Donna were alright.

It was difficult to remain standing there and pretend all hope was lost. Inside he was bursting with relief and exhilaration.

So when the TARDIS appeared before the group of stunned humans the Doctor faked being surprised, while his hearts sang.

***

Martha felt the TARDIS land. But when after ten minutes, when the Doctor, the New Doctor or Donna hadn't returned, she was getting worried. She slid off the bed and carefully padded to the corridor. She called out to them. No one answered. With one hand over her stomach Martha made small circles, soothing herself and the baby; she used the other hand to propel herself forward, using the wall for support, as she made her way to the console room. The only sound present emanated from the TARDIS, her familiar hum was in the background.

She made her way to the jump seat and eased her aching body onto it, and she waited. Out of nowhere, the Doctor rushed in and started to pull levers. Then he noticed Martha on the jump chair, smiling tiredly at him. The Doctor rushed forward and held her close.

"Oh, thank goodness, you're OK," he whispered. "I thought you'd died."

"I'm fine, Doctor," Martha assured him. "Well… so far, for someone who's in labour."

A huge explosion shook the TARDIS. "Go," Martha urged him. "Go do what you have to do."

The Doctor nodded and ran off.

A few moments later, all of the Doctor's companions came running into the console room. Jack and Donna immediately came over, to check on her.

There were three other people Martha didn't recognize; a woman with blonde hair, a woman with dark hair and a guy with dark skin with the Doctor bringing up the rear slamming the doors shut behind him.

Martha didn't really register what happened next, the pain she was experiencing now was rapid and excruciating.

"Doctor?" she said.

Instantly the Doctor was at her side. "I think this is it." Martha said.

"Right, let's go," he answered. He turned to the New Doctor and Donna. "You two can handle this? You know what to do?"

"Yes, between the two off us, we can figure this out." Donna said. "Go, go and have a beautiful baby."

***

Ten hours later, the Doctor walked into the console room. The TARDIS had flown the Earth back home. It had been the smoothest ride _ever_. If that was completely up to the fact that she was flown by six people, like she was meant to be flown, or the fact that the TARDIS wanted to make Martha as comfortable as possible, the Doctor wasn't sure. But it didn't matter, because of what he was holding.

All the people in the console room were very busy looking bored, so one noticed him enter.

"Everybody?" the Doctor started. "I'd like you to meet my daughter."

Seven heads shot up.

Donna rushed forward and gently placed a hand on the baby's head. "She's beautiful, Doctor."

"Yes, isn't she?" the Doctor looked down at his daughter. A grin lighting up his face. Donna didn't think that that grin would leave anytime soon.

"I'm gonna go to see Martha," Donna said and walked away.

Jack was the next who came forward. "What's her name?"

"Freya Susan Smith."

"Freya," Jack said. "Nice to meet you, Freya."

"Martha chose it, in honour of..." the Doctor said, seeing in Jack's eyes that the immortal man knew exactly where the name had come from. "And I chose Susan." On Jack's questioning look he added: "It was my granddaughter's name."

"Good choices," Jack said, smiling warmly at his close friend.

He backed away, so the others could have a look at the tiny baby as well. The only one who didn't come forward was Rose. Once again, tears sprung to her eyes. Jackie moved towards her daughter and started talking to her quietly.

The New Doctor approached a little warily; this wasn't his child, but it still felt like his. The Doctor noticed his trepidation and gently eased the little girl into his counterpart's arms.

From the corner of his eye he noticed that Rose had walked across the console room and went through the door that lead into the corridors.

He decided to follow her. It was just instinct.

_TBC_

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Next chapter: the confrontation between Martha and Rose… dun-dun-dun  
Which I will upload later today...


	34. Chapter 34

Donna and Martha were talking when Rose appeared. Martha lay in bed, Donna sitting in a high chair next to her. The two women were talking quietly.

"Hello, may I talk to you for a second Martha?" Rose asked.

Donna looked at Martha, who nodded. "It's OK, Donna."

Donna left the room.

Rose stood in the doorway and fidgeted slightly.

"What can I do for you?" Martha asked. She wasn't in the mood for this, her emotions were all over the place already.

Rose moved into the room. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Martha responded.

Both of them felt an awkward silence. After almost thirty seconds, Martha couldn't take it anymore.

"What can I do for you?" Martha asked again.

"Er…," Rose started. "How did you meet the Doctor then?"

Martha watched Rose, she knew this wasn't the question the girl had wanted to ask, but she answered none the less. "We met in my training hospital. He checked in with fake abdominal pains. There was a mutual exchange of life saving and he offered me a thank-you-for-saving-my-life trip and I never left after that. And you?"

"In the shop where I used to work… he blew it up actually…" Rose had a distant look on her face, remembering the event.

Martha smiled. "Yeah… that sounds like him. You met the Ninth Doctor, didn't you?"

"Yeah I did. He never mentioned the fact that he could regenerate, so imagine my surprise!"

"Yeah, I know how you feel. I knew about it, but actually seeing one… _whole_ different story."

Rose looked at her. "Oh, right... the one from a couple of hours ago."

"No, the TARDIS send me back in time and there I witnessed the Doctor's regeneration from his Eighth life into his Ninth." Martha gave a sad smile. The very brief moment with the Ninth Doctor still made her emotional. He had been so haunted by his past experiences that Martha would have given a lot to stay with him; to care of him. But in a way she hadn't left the Ninth Doctor. OK, he looked different now, but underneath it all, some of the Ninth Doctor was still there, and Martha took care of him.

"The TARDIS send you back in time?" Rose asked with an unbelieving smile.

Martha nodded and fell silent again. She didn't know what to say next and from the look of it, neither did Rose. The blonde woman stood halfway in the room and was rocking back and forth on her feet.

Martha broke the silence by saying: "What did you came to see me for?"

Rose shrugged. "I don't know…"

"Yes, you do."

"Well, I…" Rose started.

"No, let me say it for you," Martha interrupted. "You want to know why I stole the Doctor from you."

Rose watched her in silence. "You did. You stole him from me." She finally managed to say.

Martha smiled and simply said in a gentle voice: "I didn't steal him from you."

"Yes you did. When the Doctor and I were together, we were happy. And when we lost each other, I knew that one day I would see him again and we would travel again, just like we did before, because he cares about me."

"I won't deny that the Doctor cares for you," Martha interrupted. "When we met, he still missed you. Sometimes he would mention you and go bleary eyed and sad; I can't say when he started to love me. I don't know that. But we _did_ fall in love and got married and now we have a baby."

"You two got married?" Rose asked.

Martha held up her hand, showing her the wedding ring.

"I don't believe this." Rose raised her hands, as if she was imploring the heavens.

"You don't believe what? That the Doctor was capable of loving someone else besides you?"

"He loved me first."

"Oh, how childish is that! He's not _some toy_ that you own. And I think we both know that you're not the first person he has ever travelled with; that very crowded console room proves that" Martha raised her voice; she was starting to get mad now.

"And let me tell you another thing," she added. "I've just lost my mother and I've just given birth. My hormones are all over the place, so I'm not thinking very clearly at the moment. But who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to just walk in here and accuse me of stealing the Doctor from you? How dare you say he loved you first? All that matters to me is that I know that he loves me. And he won't leave me."

"Oh, yeah…? Well, we'll see about that..." Rose retorted smugly.

Then the Doctor entered the Medical Bay. Martha saw the look on his face, he was furious; he had heard every word.

"No Rose, we won't see about that. Now get out, you're upsetting my wife."

Rose looked at the Doctor in despair. "Doctor…"

"OUT!" he spat, cold fury underlining his true anger.

Rose fled from the room, pausing at the door to look at them.

The Doctor had already taken Martha into his arms. She was crying.

Martha looked over the Doctor's shoulder and looked Rose in the eye. She extracted herself from her husband's arms slightly. By nature, Martha wasn't a mean person, but she had to say this.

"I won't fight you for the Doctor's love, because I don't have to."

The Doctor looked round and only saw Rose' retreating back.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Martha shook her head.

No, she wasn't alright. Shouting at Rose that she had lost her mother had hit that fact home. She was finally processing the fact that she would never see her mother again. Her mother would never meet her granddaughter, never see her grow up.

Martha began to sob. And she couldn't stop. The Doctor held her close to his hearts. He felt Martha going limp in his arms; crying herself to sleep. He laid her back down onto the bed and pulled the covers over her chest. Martha continued to cry in her sleep.

_TBC_


	35. Chapter 35

Because you are all so levely: here's chapter 35 as well! Am I sweet enough for a couple more reviews. I really want to get to a 150!! ;-)

* * *

When the Doctor returned to the console room, Rose was standing in a corner, alone. Jackie was moving to and fro a little bit; not sure whether to approach her daughter. Donna was holding Freya. The Doctor checked a switch on the console, the intercom to the Medical Bay was still open, he would know when Martha woke up, but that meant another thing.

Everybody in the console room had heard Martha giving birth and had heard the argument between Rose and Martha.

Ignoring everyone the Doctor began to circle the console.

"Jackie, we're on our way to your universe." The Doctor stated.

Jackie nodded. She had heard what Rose had said. Making up her mind, she moved to her daughter's side and comforted her, because Rose _was_ her daughter. But she knew Rose was out of line with everything she had said. And when they returned home Rose would be getting an earful.

The TARDIS landed with her usual thump. Jackie put her arm a little more firmly around Rose' shoulders and led her out of the ship. The Doctor and Jack followed.

Inside, Jack was fuming. Martha was one of his best friends. He had thought he had known Rose; turned out he hadn't. He hadn't intended to follow the Doctor, but he had a feeling that an argument was brewing between the Doctor and Rose. So he followed him, just in case.

The Doctor was warm to Jackie as they said goodbye for the final time. He smiled when he learned that she had a son, Tony.

His goodbye to Rose was not warm at all. Like Jack, he couldn't remember what he had seen in her.

"This universe is closing." the Doctor said. "It can never be opened again. You'll _have_ to destroy the Dimension Canon."

Rose started to shake her head. "If I destroy it I will never be able to see you again. I won't do that."

The Doctor got annoyed. "Rose, you have to. The only reason the Canon started to work was because Davros was weakening the walls. When they close now, nothing can ever come through. If you would even attempt it, you will destroy two universes. I can't allow that, so I'm telling you to destroy it. I would do it myself, but I don't have the time."

Rose continued to shake her head vehemetly. "No, I won't do it…"

Suddenly Jackie interrupted. "I'll talk to Pete, Doctor. It will be done."

The Doctor nodded.

Rose rounded on her mother with a furious look on her face. "Mum…"

"Shut up, Rose. The Doctor is right. It has to be destroyed. And that's the end of it."

Rose turned back towards the Doctor, to beg him to change his mind. But the Doctor and Jack had already vanished back inside the TARDIS.

The ethereal sound of the ship disappearing filled the air.

It had left Rose behind, crying; cursing herself for being stupid.

_TBC_

Weeeellll, be a good girl and say: Goodbye Rose!!


	36. Chapter 36

The Doctor circled the console, followed closely by Donna. She was watching his every move as if trying to learn even more of him; no one mentioned Rose' departure. Donna faltered a moment, shaking her head. Gently, Donna laid Freya in Jack's arms. The Doctor looked up; not missing the gesture that Donna had made.

"Donna…" he started.

"I'm fine," she said. Then she collapsed to the floor.

The Doctor and the New Doctor sprung forward. "It's the meta-crisis. Isn't it?" the New Doctor asked.

The Doctor just nodded. "All that knowledge… it is killing her."

"Can't you do something?" Jack asked.

"There's only one thing I can do…" the Doctor whispered.

He moved his hands towards Donna's temples. He noticed her hands were quivering. He hated that he would have to do this, but it was the only way to save her.

The New Doctor's hand shot out, obscuring his view and effectively stopping him. "There's another way."

The Doctor looked at him. "There isn't. If there was I would be able to think of it."

The New Doctor smiled. "Well, that's just it. You aren't 'able', but I am, because Donna has left a little bit of herself in me. I'm capable of thinking in a way you can't comprehend."

The New Doctor got to his feet and started to circle the console, flicking switches, twiddling dials, feeling quite at home. The Doctor had no clue what he was doing, until he saw the Chameleon Arch descending from the ceiling, realisation dawned.

"No, no, no, no…" he yelled.

The New Doctor smiled. "My life for Donna's; not so bad..."

"No…" the Doctor yelled. "I won't let you do this."

The New Doctor stopped what he was doing and turned to face him. "What do you prefer: a live Donna, but with no memories; A live Donna, but with her memories intact, because of what I'm planning to do? Or a dead Donna, because we're wasting our time bickering?" The New Doctor didn't wait for an answer, but returned to twiddling at the console.

The Doctor sat on the floor watching his counterpart. Part of him wanted to get up and stop him, but the other part of him wanted nothing more than to save Donna. And it was _his_, the New Doctor's, choice.

The New Doctor briefly left the console room and returned with a chair which he placed underneath the Arch. He pulled it down and placed it on his head.

"You have to do it," he said quietly to the Doctor.

The Doctor stood up and moved to the console, reaching for the switch that would activate it. The other people hadn't said a word and there was no noise from the Medical Bay. The Doctor desperately wanted to find a way to change the course of events, but for once he couldn't come up with a single thing. His mind had gone blank. No ideas would come to him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, just to be certain.

"Yes, I am."

The Doctor flicked the switch.

The New Doctor went rigid and started screaming in agony.

Sarah Jane gasped and backed away even further.

Jack moved forward, resisting the temptation of tearing the device off the New Doctor's head. He moved to Donna's side, who was lying unconscious on the floor.

The Chameleon Arch did its work. It completely stripped away everything that made the New Doctor a Time Lord. But because he was half-human, he had known that he wouldn't survive this. His human half couldn't survive without his Time Lord half. His life for Donna; because the Doctor would know what to do when the Arch was finished. There was no fob watch attached, so everything Time Lord was stored in the Arch.

The New Doctor slumped back in the chair when the Arch was finished. The Doctor moved towards him and felt for a pulse; there wasn't one.

He was dead.

Gingerly, the Doctor removed the Arch from his head and gently laid him on the floor and then he went to Donna and lifted her from the grating, placed her on the chair and motioned to Jack to help him out. Jack handed Freya to Sarah Jane and held Donna upright as the Doctor placed to Chameleon Arch on Donna's head.

And turned it on…

Donna just sat slumped in the chair… nothing was happening.

"Doctor…?" Jack asked.

The Doctor didn't answer; he just checked the readings on the scanner screen. Something was wrong. The Chameleon Arch wouldn't release the Time Lord essence.

Then the Doctor had a brilliant idea. He began running around the console.

"Sarah Jane, would you mind checking on Martha?" he asked. Sarah Jane nodded and walked off with Freya. "Our original plan isn't working. The Human Doctor died for nothing, but there is still a way. Why didn't I think of this before? Jack, I know I shouldn't ask, but…"

"Doctor, whatever it is, I'll do it."

The Doctor nodded. "OK, we've landed. Jack, bring Donna."

Jack did as he was told and removed the Arch from Donna's head, lifted her up and followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS.

Jack looked around; he was standing in a huge room.

He had never been here before, but he _did_ recognise it.

He was in the reception hall of The Library...

_TBC_

OK, which one of you saw that one coming...? *laughs very evil*  
Next chapter comes later today. I want to upload the remainder of this story over the next two days. So by tomorrow evening you will all know how this ends.


	37. Chapter 37

Two days ago, Professor River Song had sat in this chair and had given her life to save for thousand and twenty-two people.

Now Jack sat in that chair; he was going to give his life for Donna Noble. Well... one of them anyway. He was a bit nervous, which was perfectly understandable, given the frightening circumstances.

The Doctor had explained to him what he had to do and he was fairly sure that he would survive, but Jack wasn't so sure.

River Song had completely vanished; there had been nothing left of her. Jack was scared that this was the one that would kill him permanently. So why he was sitting in this chair, preparing to die for a woman he didn't know, was something he wasn't exactly sure about.

The Doctor joined him. "OK, Cal has successfully downloaded Donna into the computer core again and she is now separating Donna's mind from my knowledge. So, when she gives the signal you plug the wires together again, Donna will reappear, and Cal will delete all of the Time Lord knowledge. Easy-peasy and we'll be home in time for tea."

Jack nodded. "And what about me? What happens to me?"

For a second the Doctor didn't answer. "I don't know exactly."

"Let's just do this," Jack said before he would be able to talk himself out of this somewhat surreal experience. He grabbed the wires and waited for the signal.

Somewhere on a computer screen a red light appeared.

"Jack, NOW!" the Doctor yelled.

Jack connected the wires. A blinding white light obscured the Doctor's view of him. He heard Jack scream in agony as the computer used his mind to draw Donna out of the computer. When the light faded Donna had reappeared by the Doctor's feet.

"What happened?" She asked groggily.

The Doctor moved over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Got a killer headache, but other then that I'm fine." She put a hand on her forehead.

"Stay put, I'm going to go check on Jack."

In the chair there was now a shrivelled corpse, which could be recognized as human. Donna gagged.

The corpse was burnt to a crisp, almost black with specks of red.

"Is that Jack?" Donna asked reluctantly.

The Doctor nodded. "Come on, Jack. Come on."

"Doctor, what are you saying? He's… dead."

"No, Donna. He isn't. Well, he is. But he should be coming back to life any moment now."

"What! What do you mean?"

Donna screamed as the corpse suddenly inhaled a huge gulp of air.

Blackened skin fell off, revealing pink and healthy flesh. Soon, Jack was recognizable again. He started coughing and promptly fell off the chair.

"Oh, don't wanna do that again; ever!" He exclaimed.

The Doctor rushed forward and helped his friend to his feet. Jack staggered a bit, but then shrugged the Doctor's hand off and stared at Donna.

"How are _you_ doing?" Jack couldn't help but give her his patented dazzling smile.

"I'm fine, but what about you? I mean… you… you just… you just died for me."

Jack moved over to Donna and put an arm around her shoulder. "Yes, I did. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat, you gorgeous woman."

The Doctor sighed and rolled his eyes. Even seconds after coming back to life the man just _had_ to flirt.

The three of them made their way back to the gravity platform which was waiting for them. As it rose back to The Library, Donna didn't let go of Jack's hand, she was still stunned that he had actually died for her; she was still only a temp from Chiswick.

The trio walked back to the TARDIS, the Doctor still has several people to return home.

Then a voice came from behind them. "D-D-Donna?"

Donna swivelled round, she had recognized that voice. She dropped Jack's hand, ran forward and crushing the man in a warm hug.

He slung his arms around her.

Jack looked at the Doctor; the Doctor wanted to shrug, he didn't know who that was either, but he stopped himself.

He did know, he had never met the man, but Donna had been so miserable when she hadn't been able to find him.

This had to be Lee.

Donna and Lee hung onto each other; Donna giggling like a little girl. She pulled out of the embrace and looked at him. They continued staring into each other's eyes.

"I couldn't find you," Donna whispered.

"I-I-I have been c-c-coming her every day," Lee answered. "Hoping that I would s-see you, find you somehow."

Donna smiled. "I'm not letting you go anymore."

"Good, because wherever you go, I'm going with you." Talking to Donna always took his stammer away.

"Lee, I can't ask you that."

"Donna, I have no family here. They've all died. I've been inside a computer for over a hundred years. There's nothing here for me."

Donna turned to the Doctor; he smiled and walked back towards the TARDIS, followed by Jack.

Donna took Lee's hand and pulled him after her into the TARDIS.

_TBC_

I could NOT resist reuniting Donna and Lee. Damn you RTD for not doing that yourself!!  
Next chapter later today.


	38. Chapter 38

The console room had never been this full. The only one who wasn't there was the Doctor; he was sitting at his wife's bedside watching her sleep and cradling his small daughter. She gave a huge yawn and waved a fist, and then settled again. The Doctor smiled.

Martha woke up; she looked at her husband and daughter. So many features of the Doctor were in her daughter. Freya had only inherited her mother's dark skin and hair.

The Doctor looked up from his daughter and looked Martha in the eye.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hey," she whispered back.

Gently the Doctor handed Freya to Martha. The little baby settled into the crook of her mother's arms, opened her eyes and looked at her. Freya gave another huge yawn and fell asleep again.

"So, did I miss anything?" Martha asked.

The Doctor explained everything that had happened with Donna, the New Doctor and Lee. He told her they were on their way to Earth to drop off Mickey, Jack, Sarah Jane, the Brig and Donna and Lee, as the latter two had decided to stay on Earth.

"And I'll tell you another thing," the Doctor said. "Freya is already telepathic."

Martha looked at him. "What? But you said that could take years."

"Well, she's ahead. She now lingers in the back of my mind. But…I heard her very clearly, just once. She called to me, called me 'Daddy'. She called me on Earth, when the Daleks killed your mother, she somehow knew that you needed me and she called me."

Martha looked down at Freya, sleeping contently in her arms. "You are already so special, my little girl."

Martha looked up at the door, when there was a knock and the Brig entered.

"Hello," He said. "Just popped in to say goodbye to you, Martha..."

"Thank you, Brigadier," Martha said with a warm smile.

"Martha, I am sorry for your loss; I found your mother to be a very warm and caring woman. I'm sure she will be greatly missed."

Martha couldn't speak anymore and just nodded.

The Brig saluted and left the Medical Bay.

"I'm going to land the TARDIS and drop everyone off. OK?" the Doctor said.

Martha nodded and cradled Freya a little tighter. The Doctor kissed both mother and daughter gently and left the room.

When he emerged in the console room Jack was saying goodbye to Donna, once again reassuring her that he was fine.

"Alright, first stop Cardiff."

***

The TARDIS landed inside the Hub. Jack was greeted warmly by Gwen and Ianto and the Doctor was a little surprised that Jack had managed to recruite Mickey somewhere along the way, so Mickey was staying in Cardiff as well.

"See you around Jack, Mickey," the Doctor said.

Jack gave a hug and Mickey shook his hand.

"See ya, Boss," Mickey said.

"Don't become a stranger… Doctor," Jack said. "Don't keep your two beautiful ladies all to yourself."

"I promise we'll visit regularly," the Doctor answered.

The Doctor waved at the Torchwood team and vanished into the TARDIS.

***

Next stop was the Brig's house. And the Doctor was very pleased that he had managed to avoid his rose bed. If he had landed on top of it Doris would probably have killed him.

"Goodbye Doctor," the Brig said, giving him a sharp salute.

"Oh don't salute," the Doctor hissed. "Do me a favour, please? Get rid of the Osterhagen thing, save the world just once more?"

The Brig said that he would.

"You take good care of your family. I know you don't normally do as I say, but I order you to follow that order." The old man added.

The Doctor gave his oldest friend a hug. "I promise," he whispered in the man's ear.

Doris came out of the house and walked towards the two men.

"I see you've brought my husband home safe and sound," she smiled.

The Doctor gave her a warm smile. "And I didn't land on your roses."

Doris laughed. The Doctor gave them both a mock salute and disappeared back in the TARDIS.

The Brig and Doris watched as it faded from view.

***

Sarah Jane was welcomed back by her son and K9.

Luke came running from the house as the TARDIS landed in the backyard of 13 Bannerman Road.

"Mum, are you alright?" Luke asked fearfully.

"Yes, I am." Sarah Jane assured him.

K9 came trundling into the garden as well.

"Glad to see you in perfect running order, Mistress."

"Thank you, K9," Sarah Jane said.

"Bye Sarah Jane, Luke," the Doctor said.

"Goodbye Doctor," Sarah Jane said. "Stop by for a cup of tea anytime you want."

"I will." The Doctor patted K9 on the head. "Good dog."

"Affirmative…"

Sarah Jane suddenly took the Doctor's arm in a firm grip and led him away a bit. "Doctor, I just wanted to tell you: congratulations. Martha is a wonderful woman and I'm happy you found love with her. When I saw you again two years ago, I was were Rose is now. Even though I was better at coping with you absence than Rose clearly was, somewhere deep down I was hoping that we could pick up where we left off."

The Doctor made to interrupt her, but Sarah Jane held up a hand to shut him up before he could start.

"I've moved on from you, a little bit of me will always love you. But I think Martha and you love each other more then anything else in this universe. So, you get back in that beautiful ship of yours and love those two women forever. I have Luke now, so I know how much you love Freya."

The Doctor just stared at his friend. Not being able to speak he gathered her in his arms and held her tight. Releasing Sarah Jane he muttered a very quiet: "Thank you." in her ear.

The Doctor gave them one last smile and went back to the TARDIS.

***

Donna and Lee were dropped off at Donna's mother's house. Sylvia Noble got a great big shock as her daughter emerged from a little blue box; her arm hooked though the arm of a strange man.

"Donna?" she asked. "Who is he?"

"Mum, this is Lee. We're getting married."

At that point Sylvia began gasping for breath and had to be led to a couch by the Doctor and Lee. As Wilf went to the kitchen to put the kettle on, the Doctor and Lee went back into the TARDIS and got all of Donna's suitcases, which took several trips. Donna had bought a lot of clothes in different time periods and on different planets, so her wardrobe had expanded in size after her many trips.

"Right, that was the last of it." The Doctor declared.

"You sure you got everything?" Donna asked, because she wasn't entirely sure.

"Yes, I think so. But if we've forgotten anything, Martha and I will drop it by."

Donna nodded her agreement.

"Well, this is goodbye then," the Doctor said. "Lee, it's arranged with Jack, and Torchwood will help you to get a new identity. He'll probably call you in the next day or so." Lee nodded. The Doctor turned to Donna. "Donna…oh Donna, Martha and I will both miss you terribly."

"You'd better bring her and Freya around often. Got that…!" Donna iterated, as she poked him in the chest several times.

"Got it… And Martha will want to visit you as well… And we wanted to ask you if you'd be Freya's godmother."

Tears filled Donna's eyes. "Yes I will. I'm honoured." She hugged the Doctor. "Now you get back in that box and love them and take care of them."

"Yes, Ma'am... I'll get in touch about the christening. I want to hang in the vortex for a couple of days. Martha needs it."

"Take all the time you need, you've got a time machine."

The Doctor smiled smugly and walked out the door.

Wilf was rather upset that he'd missed the Doctor. But Donna assured him that he and Martha would come back for Freya's christening.

Donna looked on as the TARDIS disappeared, leaving an imprint on the lawn.

Lee came up behind her and hugged her. Donna felt loved for a long time since. Travelling with the Doctor and Martha had enriched her life, but her real life was only just beginning.

_TBC_

Sorry about the Martha- liteness of this chapter. But I didn't think that a woman who just had given birth could keep getting in and out of the TARDIS to say goodbye to all those people.  
Oh and in case you hadn't figured it out, the Brig was ordered to use the Osterhagen Key and not Martha like in the original Journey's End.


	39. Chapter 39

The Doctor stared at the console room. Only several hours ago it had been filled with people; now it was empty again. But that didn't matter, because the two most important people were still onboard.

The Doctor put the TARDIS into the vortex and went back to the Medical Bay. As he walked the long corridors he remembered all those faces; he loved them all. It had hurt him terribly that Rose hadn't been able to move on. He hadn't expected that, but what she had said to Martha was unforgivable. He hoped that she would be able to create a life for herself in that parallel universe. But he doubted it.

He entered the Medical Bay. Martha was wide awake and sitting up in bed.

"Freya asleep?" he asked.

Martha nodded. "I've just fed her."

The Doctor removed her from Martha's arms and placed the sleeping baby in her cot.

"Everyone gone home…?" Martha asked.

"Yep, safe and sound; we're in the vortex now. I think we both could do with a couple of days to relax."

"Will you help me get to our room? I'm dying for a shower and my own bed."

The Doctor gathered his wife in his arms and carried her to their room. "Think you'll be able to shower alone?"

"Yeah..."

"Good, I'll get Freya."

Martha slowly walked to the shower and stood under the hot stream of water for several minutes, just standing, trying to relax her aching muscles.

She heard the Doctor return with Freya, making cooing noises. Martha smiled; he was going to be a great father. Already, Freya had her father wound around her little finger.

That night, the Doctor and Martha slept in each other's arms; Freya was asleep in her cot next to their bed. Martha had called her father and had promised to come as soon as she was able to walk again. Tish was spending the night at her father's, Martha was glad of that. Both of them shouldn't be alone.

Martha told the Doctor a lot about her mother. Some of the stuff the Doctor already knew, some he didn't; he just let her talk, while Martha had shed a lot of tears. The relationship between her and her mother hadn't always been great, but if there was something bothering her, Martha always called her mother. She couldn't do that anymore.

The Doctor and Martha stayed in the vortex for almost two weeks and landed on Earth the day after the Earth had been put back in its proper place.

The next few days were another emotional rollercoaster. There were memorial services all over the world for those that had died during the Dalek attacks; they would never be forgotten.

The Doctor and Martha stayed on Earth for several days, catching up with Clive, Leo and Tish; they were all united in their grief for Francine.

The New Doctor had been buried on Earth as well. His grave said John Smith.

The Doctor vowed to never use that alias again. He had now settled on Doctor John Jones.

Five days after the memorial service, the Doctor and Martha left Earth again in the TARDIS; raising their daughter to the best of their abilities and continuing their travels and adventures.

_TBC_

One more chapter to go: the epilogue. *has a little cry because it's almost over*  
Ooohhhh, but that epilogue... *laughs _very very very_ evil*

Last chapter: TOMORROW


	40. Epilogue

Epilogue

'River Song' watched as the Doctor worked furiously to try and save four thousand and twenty two people, but she knew already _only she_ would be the one to do that.

She had known for so long, even longer then the Doctor realised. They had been together for so long. They had survived so much, but she wouldn't survive this, but in a way she _would_.

The Doctor and she had gone over this time and time again. She knew exactly what to say and when to say it. The Doctor had not wanted to go through with this, but 'River' knew that they had to. It was their destiny.

It had hurt that the Doctor had looked right through her. If only she could scream out who she really was.

That he saw her just like he always did in the past.

The way he looked at her right now…

16 Years Later:

Freya Smith leaned against the TARDIS. Of course they were being chased by a bunch of aliens that her father had pissed off and of course she had reached it before her parents. After all, _she was_ the fastest runner of the three of them.

The three of them were on a planet Freya couldn't even begin to wonder if she would ever be able to pronounce its name. It had a lot of syllables and some were not in her vocabulary.

She looked around her. The world around her was beautiful. Stretched out in front of her were long slopes of deep green grass, in the distance was a mountain range and the sky was a deep purple. She had seen many different skies and sunsets, but seeing a new one always made her heart beat faster. Her favourite planet was always Earth. In that regard she truly was her father's daughter. And her mother was human, so she would always be tied to that little blue globe.

Freya checked her fingernails. She had been waiting so long for the Doctor and Martha that she'd been able to clear all the dirt that had been underneath them.

'_Freya, get inside the TARDIS! NOW!'_ Freya heard her father shout in her head. He sounded worried, mad and busy all together.

Now Freya had a mind of her own and most of time she went against everything her father wanted her to do; but this time she did as she was told. When he sounded like _this_, she obeyed.

As she entered the TARDIS, the old girl gave a hum, she sounded concerned as well. Quickly Freya ran to the console and turned the scanner screen on. In the distance she could make out her parents. Her father was half carrying half dragging her mother towards the TARDIS.

Freya ran back to the door and waited. When they were only a few metres away, Freya darted forward and helped her father carry Martha inside the ship. The Doctor slammed the door shut.

"What happened?" Freya screeched.

"What do you think… he stabbed her… the bastard stabbed her!" The Doctor said venomously.

The Doctor immediately brought his wife to the Medical Bay. Martha's hand brushed the console as the Doctor passed it, he never saw the electrical spark that flew from the console and passed through Martha.

***

Martha lay on the bed in the Medical Bay, she knew she was dying. She knew she'd been stabbed. But it was a little girl or her. She wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she had allowed that little girl to get hurt. The little girl had stolen some fruits and on this primitive world she would have been executed for that. So Martha had stepped into the path of the blade that had been meant for the girl. She could still hear the Doctor's anguished scream of alarm in her ears.

He had just picked her up and had fled for the TARDIS.

Now she lay on the bed and she was dying; but at least the little girl was safe.

There was nothing the Doctor could do; the blade had done to much damage.

"Doctor…" she gasped.

In an instant the Doctor was at her side, he held her hand. Freya was on the other side and held her other hand.

"Freya…" she managed to add. "Promise me, you'll take of each other. Promise…"

Through the tears Freya nodded.

"Please Martha…" the Doctor whispered, tears in his eyes. "Don't leave me…"

"I love you Doctor," Martha said and turned to Freya. "I love you both so much."

Martha's hand went limp in their hands.

She was dead.

Freya started to cry in earnest now. The Doctor, carefully; almost reverently, put his wife's hand down and moved to his daughter and held her tight. Together they cried and both could hear the TARDIS in their minds.

But the TARDIS wasn't mourning… in fact…

Out of nowhere Martha's back arched and she took in a great gulp of air. Her yes were wide with shock and she looked around the Medical Bay, bewildered. Suddenly her features were obscured by a multi coloured glow.

"Dad, what's happening…?" Freya asked, sounding petrified.

"She's… she's… regenerating?" the Doctor said confounded.

The golden glow that surrounded Martha vanished. She looked almost exactly the same as she always used to, except her hair were now brown and short and spiky, her eyes were a brilliant green and her skin was a touch lighter.

"Martha…" the Doctor asked carefully.

"Yeah… oh my head… what happened?" Martha said.

"Er… you regenerated," the Doctor said.

"I, what?" Martha bit back and sat bolt upright. "But how is that possible?! I'm human! I'm not supposed to be able to regenerate. That's _your_ thing."

"I don't know… but I'm going to find out."

The Doctor tenderly pushed Martha back onto the bed. He had asked Freya to leave, but the girl had said nothing and simply took her mother's hand in hers and had looked at her father defiantly.

"That's not possible," the Doctor muttered. He had taken his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and ran it over Martha's body and checked the readings. "No way!"

"What is it?" Martha asked, dreading his answer.

"Martha… you're a Time Lady now, you've got two hearts," the Doctor looked in her in the eye, as bewildered as Martha was feeling.

"How…?" Martha asked.

The Doctor sat down on a high chair and took a deep breath. "Remember when we met? I gave you that 'genetic transfer'?"

Martha nodded.

"Well, that put a tiny amount of my DNA into your bloodstream. Several days later we were stuck inside Lazarus' machine together. Somehow that incorporated my DNA with yours, it a_ltered_ your DNA. But that still doesn't explain everything though…" the Doctor trailed off.

"The meta-crisis Doctor…" Martha said. "Think about it. For the past sixteen years, the TARDIS has given me loads of electrical charges…not enough for it to be noticed… but often enough…"

"That was _his _Time Lord essence that was being transferred into you, very slowly. Because that is why it failed with Donna, the human body can't handle that kind of transformation in one go, but do it over a long period of time it can be done," the Doctor continued. "All that time… the TARDIS was preparing for this moment. Somehow she knew that it wasn't meant to save Donna's life, it had to save yours." The Doctor stared into the distance and seeing absolutely nothing.

"OK," Freya interjected. "What exactly does this mean? What's the bottom line?"

The Doctor turned to his daughter. "The bottom line is that Martha is now a Time Lady. All those little incidents in the past were meant for this moment. Our kiss, Lazarus' machine, my botched regeneration, the New Doctor, his essence that wouldn't transfer into Donna… all of it."

"So… we're the same now?" Martha asked.

"No, you're not telepathic for instance. The Time Lord essence was enough to alter you physically, but not mentally. You do have two hearts and you're able to regenerate."

"So, I look completely different now?" Martha asked.

The Doctor handed her a small mirror he plucked from a nearby drawer. "Take a look."

Martha took the mirror and looked. "Wow, I've got green eyes!"

The Doctor chuckled. "Yes, you do. Now Time Ladies have more control over the regenerative process than Time Lords do, so in the future you'll be able to choose what you look like."

***

'River Song' died saving four thousand and twenty two people, just like she was meant to do. After River's 'death', the Doctor from that time period was in time to download her into the computer core. There she stayed for a total of two weeks. Then _her_ Doctor came back for her and again with Jack's help pulled her out of the core.

"Hello Doctor..."

"Hello Martha Jones..."

THE END

* * *

*has a crying fit* It's over... that was it. River is Martha. WHo would have thought of that... well _I did_. Now I want to ask you lovely people something... what was it... it's at the tip of my tongue... it's just one word... oh yeah, a REVIEW!!

I'l upload an extra chapter with author notes in a day or so. In the meantime I hope that you enjoyed this story and you reviewed en masse, so I think it's save to say that you did.


	41. Author's Notes

**Author****'s**** Notes for**** Colourblind.**

Wow, I started writing this on January 3rd. I completed it on April 2nd and started posting soon after that. But in between there were a lot of revisions and rewrites. Everything from chapter six and onwards was beta-d by Gloomy-pearlz. And even after she beta-ed it, I was still adding and deleting stuff.

Gloomy: I thank you. Your advice was right on the nose. You helped me improve the story, by suggesting lines or urging me delete lines. You're a gem. You truly are.

Folks reading this should now that thanks to my beta:

# Martha's engagement ring is a lot more beautiful. In the original take, it was just a plain gold ring with a diamond. Because of her it is now silver with a Gallifreyan inscription. And after that I added the fact that the diamond was the last Gallifreyan diamond in existence.

# the Iilari: with me they only were a few centimetres tall and bright green. Gloomy suggested that they were actually a bit (make that lot) bigger and she came up with the yellow pustules.

# her opinions are greatly felt in chapter 18. She helped me make the Ninth Doctor that bit more the Ninth Doctor. I think in my original version he was a bit to Tenth Doctor.

# she suggested to put a reaction of the Doctor in there when the TARDIS was (presumably) destroyed. In my version that wasn't there. And then later I added another bit when the TARDIS lands on the Dalek Crucible.

Donna: I really didn't like the way RTD wrote Donna out of DW in Journey's End. So I gave her a happy ending. With Lee! This fic is Donna-lite, because I wanted it to solely revolve around Martha and the Doctor. I did take some liberty with the amount of time that it takes for the Doctor-Donna to collapse. First I wanted to get rid of Rose. And I made it so that Donna would immediately collapse.

Rose: I knew Rose was returning from the second I started writing this. Now, I'm not a Rose-basher. I simply don't like her character, especially in combination with the Tenth Doctor. And I'm a 10/Martha shipper all the way… so… sorry Rose, you're NOT getting your grubby hands on Martha's Doctor ever again. And I didn't want a happy ending for her, so I couldn't dump the New Doctor with her.

The New Doctor: I couldn't leave the poor man with Rose and if he'd staid with the Doctor and Martha… that didn't _feel_ right. So the New Doctor had to go. He had to try and save Donna, but I wanted to reunite Donna with Lee and that could only happen in the Library… AND I wanted to kill Jack once as well… So I came up with the failed Chameleon Arch attempt and went from there.

Which brings me to Martha: Martha becoming a Time Lady was only brought in when I had already started uploading and Gloomy had started beta-ing. She made a comment after a chapter and that wouldn't leave my head. Oh, the reaction I got from her when I told her my alternate ending (originally chapter 39 was the last one). I honestly thought she would stop beta-ing right there and then (just kidding Gloomy). She honestly didn't think it COULD work. In one morning I wrote it and I sent it to her. And she was convinced. She loved it. It was fairly easy to write as I'd already put the seeds in the ground so to speak and just had to harvest them when they'd fully grown (bad imagery, but I hope you know what I mean). I went back and changed little things: 1) at their wedding the Doctor tells Martha his greatest secret (his real name), 2) the Ninth Doctor asks Martha if she's a Time Lady (a bit wonky I know) and 3) in chapter 25 the Doctor wonders if River is really who he thinks she is.

I really enjoyed writing this story and I really hope that you enjoyed reading it. But I think I don't need to worry about that: you lovely people reviewed en masse.

I want to thank everybody for reviewing and I want to express a giant thank you to all of you who added this story to their favorites and who have added me to their favorite authors. To know that there are people out there that are somewhat impressed with my writing skills is humbling; it truly is.

I already have a new story in my head. It is in its very early stages and maybe you can start to read it in the autumn… I hope. What I DO know is the title: Broken. But knowing me, that can, and it probably will, change

See you soon.

X DutchLady

_This entire story is dedicated to those seven people that died on Queen's Day April 30th 2009, or later in hospital, after the attack on the Dutch Royal Family. _

_May you all rest in peace. _


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